DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – A newspaper in the United Arab Emirates says two Canadians, one of them a Toronto boxer, were killed after their rented Ferrari struck a pole and was split in two.
The National newspaper says two others also died in the crash, which happened early Sunday local time.
It says one of the Canadians has been identified as 24-year-old Cody Nixon of Toronto. The other has been identified as Nixon’s cousin James Portuondo, who was also from the Toronto area.
The Motor City Boxing Club in Oshawa, Ont., posted a tribute to Nixon on its Facebook page, saying Nixon had died “while vacationing overseas.”
Americans Victoria McGrath and her roommate Priscilla Perez, on vacation from their studies at Northwestern University, were also killed in the crash.
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McGrath, 23, was a survivor of the Boston Marathon bombing, having received severe shrapnel injuries to her left leg from the first of two bombs placed near the marathon finish line on April 15, 2013.
J.P. and Paul Norden, brothers who each lost a leg in the bombings, posted a photo of McGrath on their Facebook page.
“Life can change in an instant…we know this only too well. Those who survived the Boston Marathon bombings of April 15, 2013 all had a special bond…our hearts are heavy tonight after hearing that one of our fellow survivors lost their life in a car accident,” reads a posting under the photo.
A photo posted on the Instagram account travelwithcody shows a man posing with a yellow Ferrari and the caption reads: “Just landed into Dubai picked up the Ferrari! Don’t worry I won’t speed ;).”
Other photos show the same man skydiving and off-roading in Aruba and preparing to scuba dive in the Dominican Republic.
The account shares several of the same photos as a Facebook page belonging to a Cody Nixon, where friends posted condolences as news of the crash spread.
A spokeswoman for Global Affairs Canada confirmed two Canadians had died in the United Arab Emirates but said no further details could be released due to privacy concerns.
Rachna Mishra said in an email that consular officials are in touch with local authorities and providing assistance to the families of the deceased.
The National says police initially reported three people were killed in the crash but later said two men and two women had died.
With a file from Caryn Lieberman.
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