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Seven people, including two police officers, were killed early Saturday after a car travelling on the wrong side of a major road collided head-on with a marked police vehicle in northeast England.
The crash occurred at around 3:39 a.m. on the A66 near South Bank, east of Middlesbrough, Cleveland Police said.
The police vehicle was travelling in the correct direction when it was struck by a Volkswagen Passat travelling against the flow of traffic. All occupants of both vehicles died at the scene.
The two officers were identified as Police Constables Matthew Blades, 37, and Tom Clough, 38. The other five victims were travelling in the Passat.
Police said the crash followed a pursuit involving a suspicious vehicle.
The circumstances leading to the collision are being investigated by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). Authorities have urged the public not to speculate while the investigation is underway.
Emergency services sent 14 ambulance resources to the scene.
The A66 was closed in both directions as investigators examined the crash site.
Cleveland Police Chief Constable Victoria Fuller described the incident as a tragic loss for the force and the wider community.