Two killed after van and RockNess bus crash on A9 at Ralia

A van driver and passenger have been killed in a crash with a bus taking people from Edinburgh to the RockNess festival near Inverness.

Emergency services were called to the scene at Ralia in the Highlands at about 15:42.

The female driver of the bus, which had 46 passengers on board, had to be cut free and was airlifted to hospital.

Northern Constabulary said the road would be closed until at least midnight.

Details of the two men who were killed will not be released until next of kin have been informed.

Some passengers were treated at the scene and 14 were taken to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness with a range of injuries, none of which were said to be life-threatening.

The remaining passengers have been taken to Inverness where Highland Council is arranging welfare and accomodation if necessary.

There has been extra traffic on the A9 due to RockNess, which is taking place at Dores, beside Loch Ness.

The force urged drivers to be patient while the emergency services dealt with the incident.

Northbound diversions are through Dalwhinnie and southbound ones are through Crubenmore.

Another accident has also closed the A9 southbound between the Broxden roundabout in Perth and Auchterarder.

The fatal crash comes a week after a collision between two lorries north of Blair Atholl, which left the drivers dead and closed the A9 for most of the day.

Police have now named the men as Alex Russell, 37, of Moodiesburn, North Lanarkshire, and John Sommerville, 34, of Carluke, South Lanarkshire.