Post-mortem examinations are to be carried out later on the bodies of five teenage boys killed when their car being driven the wrong way down a motorway in County Kildare collided head-on with another car.
Three women, two aged in their 30s and one in her 20s, and a child who were in the second car were taken to hospital with serious injuries.
The crash happened between junction 3 and junction 4 of the M9 motorway, at Moone, at about 03:00 local time on Sunday.
The vehicle the teenage boys were in was travelling southbound on the northbound carriageway when it hit the second car.
Gardaí (Irish police) have said no pursuit was taking place before the collision occurred.
They have appealed for witnesses to the crash or anyone driving on that stretch of the motorway at the time to contact them.
Forensic investigators have completed their examination of the scene.
Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly described those injured in the crash as “family members” who were “travelling innocently” when they were struck by the car driving on the wrong side of the motorway.
