Dutch actor, wife, child killed when auto careens into canal

Dutch actor John Wijdenbosch, his 36-year-old wife and 4-year-old daughter were killed in a car accident on the A6 near Lelystad on Monday. A passerby noticed their car in a drainage canal around 9:00 a.m., and emergency services were quickly at the scene, but the actor and his family could not be saved, RTL Nieuws reports.

Fire department divers removed their bodies from the water. Investigators had not said how the car wound up in the water by Tuesday morning.

The 44-year-old Dutch-Suriname actor became famous in the 90s for his role on television series Fort Alpha. He also played in the film and television series Costa! alongside actors like Georgina Verbaan and Katja Schuurman.

Numerous Dutch celebrities reacted in shock to Wijdenbosch death. "What intensely sad news", Tatum Dagelet, who worked with Wijdenbosch on Fort Alpha, said on Instagram. "I had such fun times with John Wijdenbosch.. My heart goes out to the family."

Bas Muijs tweeted: "I wish family, friends and colleagues of John Wijdenbosch and his family a lot of strength in this terrible loss. Horrible news."

"Unreal... so unreal! Rest in peace my friend and your family. I'll miss you. Strength to all relatives and close friends!" John Williams wrote on Instagram.

Jorgen Raymann said on Instagram: "Brother, you brought so much joy in a sad period in my life, and now I just can't understand... rest in joy bro!"