Tributes have been paid to two police officers who were among seven people killed in a wrong-way crash near Middlesbrough on Saturday.
As reported by BBC, the devastating wrong-way crash on the A66 near Middlesbrough has claimed seven lives, including two serving police officers.
The collision happened on the A66 in South Bank, near Middlesbrough, shortly after 03:30 BST on Saturday when a car travelling the wrong way collided with a marked police vehicle.
On Saturday, Chief Constable Victoria Fuller, who was clearly emotional as she read out a statement in front of cameras, described them as “brave officers protecting our communities and serving our residents who didn’t return home to their families at the end of their shift”.
The Metropolitan Police says the loss of the two officers will be “acutely felt across the policing family, particularly by those who had the privilege of serving alongside both officers”.
Sussex Police Chief Constable Jo Shiner also says “the impact of this tragedy will be felt by many across the country”, while Nicola Marfleet, a director at the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), which is investigating the incident, says, “This is a tragic incident, and my thoughts are with family and friends and all those affected, including the emergency services in attendance”.
As reported, the five young men in the VW Passat have not been named by the authorities, although they have been named on social media.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct has opened an investigation into the circumstances leading to the crash in South Bank after a mandatory referral from Cleveland police.
Political leaders also expressed their grief. Prime Minister Andy Burnham stated he was “devastated” by the news, thanking emergency services for responding under extraordinarily difficult conditions. Local Member of Parliament Anna Turley noted that the victims’ families are facing an “unimaginable loss”.
Britain’s Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has launched a mandatory independent investigation into the tragedy
According to the watchdog, initial findings indicate that Cleveland Police officers had spotted a suspicious vehicle, prompting a pursuit prior to the car entering the A66 where the crash took place. Cleveland Police have confirmed they are cooperating fully with the inquiry.
