Full story
A66 pursuit crash
Multiple people died after a police vehicle and a Volkswagen Passat crashed during a pursuit on the A66 in South Bank, near Middlesbrough in Teesside at about 03:39 BST, Cleveland Police said.
“collision involved a police vehicle and a Volkswagen Passat on the A66 in South Bank”
The collision involved a police vehicle and a Volkswagen Passat on the A66, and North East Ambulance Service said 14 "ambulance resources" attended and "a number of patients died at the scene".
Cleveland Police said the road was closed in both directions between Normanby Road and Church Lane, with the force saying it was set to stay shut for the rest of the day.
A police spokesman said, "Sadly, the collision has resulted in multiple fatalities," as officers worked to identify victims and contact their families.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct confirmed it was opening an investigation after Cleveland Police sighted a suspicious vehicle and a pursuit began.
Investigation and condolences
The Independent Office for Police Conduct said it was opening an investigation into the fatal crash, and its watchdog said, "At this early stage, we understand Cleveland Police sighted a suspicious vehicle and a pursuit began."
Cleveland Police said the Volkswagen Passat was traveling the wrong way down the A66 near Middlesbrough and collided with a police vehicle on the same road going in the right direction.
Anna Turley, MP for the local Redcar constituency, said she was "deeply saddened" and urged people to avoid speculation as police investigated the accident alongside the Independent Office for Police Conduct.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct said, "When someone dies following police contact, it is mandatory that the matter is referred to the IOPC," and that investigators were reviewing evidence.
North East Ambulance Service said, "Sadly, despite the best efforts of everyone attending, a number of patients died at the scene," and sent condolences to those affected.
Road closures and next steps
Cleveland Police said the A66 crash site was surrounded by industrial units and factories, and the road was closed in both directions between Normanby Road and Church Lane.
“The road was closed in both directions between Normanby Road and Church Lane”
The force said there were still "significant emergency service vehicles" on the scene and advised motorists to use alternative routes as the incident remained "quickly evolving."
The Independent Office for Police Conduct said its investigation was in the "very early stages" and that it had sent investigators to post incident procedures to begin reviewing evidence.
In a separate account, Al Jazeera said all occupants of both vehicles were pronounced dead at the scene near Middlesbrough and that Cleveland Police Chief Constable Victoria Fuller described the day as "an incredibly sad day for Cleveland."
Al Jazeera also reported that Cleveland Police had formally identified the passengers in the Volkswagen Passat and was contacting their families, while urging people to avoid speculation at this time.