Five police officers killed in horror lorry collision on northern Spain motorway

The incident stands as the deadliest road traffic collision in the province this century.

The crash occurred when a van carrying the five deceased officers collided with a tanker lorry whilst both vehicles were travelling in the direction of Bilbao. The motorway remains closed in both directions.

According to the Basque Department of Security, the incident took place at 9.15 am. Local reports indicate that the van veered off the road exactly at the Maltzaga junction connecting with the AP-1 motorway (kilometre marker 69).

Eyewitnesses reported that the vehicle struck the central reservation and became stranded sideways across the motorway. A lorry approaching from behind was unable to avoid the vehicle, ramming into the van and dragging it for several metres, resulting in the five fatalities.

Although emergency responders initially attempted to resuscitate one of the occupants of the van, medical services deployed to the scene certified that all five individuals died at the crash site.

"The van was left stranded across the lane and the lorry ploughed into it," eyewitnesses of the fatal incident told this newspaper.

The deceased officers belonged to the Central Intervention Brigade and the Special Intervention Group of the Navarrese Chartered Police. They were travelling to the Ertzaintza (Basque regional police) base in Iurreta to take part in training exercises. The driver of the lorry sustained minor injuries and was evacuated by helicopter to the Alto Deba Hospital.

A massive emergency response was deployed to the site, including officers from the Ertzaintza, two mobile intensive care ambulances, and four light vehicles from the Azpeitia and Eibar fire stations to assist in rescuing the victims.

As a result of the collision, the heavy goods vehicle ended up on top of the central reservation, blocking the central and left lanes of the motorway heading towards San Sebastián. Following the crash, the road was closed to traffic in both directions. At 10.40 am, a single lane heading towards Donostia (San Sebastián) was reopened, but the motorway remains completely closed towards Bilbao from the Maltzaga junction. Bidegi, the Gipuzkoa Infrastructure Agency, expects this closure to remain in place until the lorry can be safely recovered, an operation estimated to take until tonight.

The Government of Navarre has expressed its "profound pain and dismay" over the deaths of the five police officers, announcing that a formal tribute will be held in their memory.

"Profound pain and dismay," were the words used by the First Vice-President and Regional Minister for Presidency and Equality of the Government of Navarre, Javier Remírez Apesteguía.

"Our thoughts are with the families, friends, and colleagues of the deceased. This is a very sad day for the Chartered Police," Remírez stated during a press conference following a regional government cabinet meeting, whilst offering the executive’s formal condolences to the victims' loved ones.

The government spokesperson explained that "from the very first minute, all institutions have been collaborating and providing all necessary support. This includes King Felipe VI, the Minister of the Interior, the Mayor of Pamplona, and other representatives."