Teenager killed and five hospitalised following two-car collision on motorway

A TEENAGER has died and five people have been hospitalised following a collision on one of the busiest roads in the country.

A section of the M8, near Mitchelstown in County Cork, remains closed following the incident which happened in the early hours of this Saturday.

"The two-vehicle collision happened at around 1am. A passenger from one of these cars, a male youth (teens) suffered fatal injuries," confirmed a garda spokesperson.

The driver of this car, a male youth in this teens, and three other passengers -  an adult male (teens), a male youth and a female youth (teens) -  were all taken to Cork University Hospital to receive treatment for non-life threatening injuries.

The driver of the second car, a woman in her 30s, was also taken to Cork University Hospital where she is receiving treatment for what are believed to be serious injuries.

According to gardai, the scene remains preserved to allow for a technical examination, with local diversions in place.

Gardaí are appealing to anyone with information to come forward to them.

The Garda Siochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) has been informed of the incident as one of the vehicles involved in the collision was was subject to an interaction with An Garda Síochána prior to the collision.