Two British police officers have been remembered after losing their lives in a devastating crash that also claimed five other people.
PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38, were killed in the early hours of yesterday morning when a Volkswagen Passat travelling the wrong way along the dual carriageway near Middlesbrough struck their marked armed response vehicle, which was heading in the correct direction.
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Cleveland Police identified the other victims as Michael Robert Cahill, 23, Theo Rae, 17, Cole Robert Worthy, 16, Jacob Matusiak, 23, and Makai Saddington, 18.
PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher sent his condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of the two officers.
“I’ve messaged [Cleveland] Chief Constable Victoria Fuller and offered my deepest condolences to the families and colleagues of PC Mathew Blades and PC Tom Clough. They remain very much in our thoughts.”
The Independent Office for Police Conduct has launched an investigation into the events preceding the collision, which happened at 3.39am yesterday in South Bank following a mandatory referral from Cleveland Police.
The watchdog said officers had identified a suspicious vehicle and begun a pursuit before the car joined the A66, where it collided with a police vehicle.
It is understood that the marked vehicle carrying PC Blades and PC Clough was not involved in that pursuit.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said he was “devastated” by news of the crash, while Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said her thoughts were with everyone affected.
