 Boys and pensioner die in crash
Boys and pensioner die in crash
The scene of the smash close to the Raigmore Interchange
Two teenage exchange students from Peru and an 82-year-old man have been killed in a crash on the A9 in Inverness.
Police said it was understood the boys, aged 15 and 16, were part of a Free Church of Scotland exchange trip and had been staying with the man.
The crash at 0755 BST involved a Tesco lorry and a Honda CRV car 500 yards from the Kessock Bridge roundabout.
Northern Constabulary said they were trying to contact the victims' families.
A section of the northbound A9 carriageway was closed for more than four hours, before it reopened at 1230 BST.
This was an extremely harrowing and tragic accident in which three people lost their lives
Supt David O'Connor
Police said the teenagers had been staying with the 82-year-old in Inverness.
They were being taken to North Kessock where they were due to meet up with other members of their group to take a day trip to Stornoway in the Western Isles.
Inverness area commander, Supt David O'Connor, said: "This was an extremely harrowing and tragic accident in which three people lost their lives.
"It was a particularly difficult set of circumstances for police and other emergency services.
"Clearly the accident is still under investigation and a full report will be made to the procurator fiscal in relation to the facts and circumstances."
He added: "Our thoughts and condolences are with the families and friends of the victims, at this difficult time."
Police investigators were at the scene of the accident
Firefighters used cutting equipment to remove the accident victims from the wreckage.
The crash happened at the height of rush hour as dozens of commuters poured into the city along the A96 from Nairn and on the A9 from the south.
At one point, vehicles were backed up a considerable distance to the Drumossie Brae on the A9.
Traffic was diverted through Inverness and there were lines of traffic on roads through Raigmore, the city centre and into the Crown area.
Yellow council vans were in position on both carriageways to help police enforce diversions and to serve as a warning to motorists travelling southbound.
Police road accident investigators have been working to establish the cause of the crash.
Debris from the car, including a door removed by firefighters, littered the scene.
The section of northbound carriageway leads into the Longman area and on to the Kessock Bridge.  | 
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