A motorcycle rider and his passenger were killed in a head-on collision with a car in north Edmonton late Friday.

The major collisions section of the Edmonton police has taken over investigation of the crash, which killed the 39-year-old man who was operating the motorcycle and the 37-year-old woman who was his passenger.

The crash happened at about 10:30 p.m. on Friday, police said in a news release Saturday.

Investigators said that the motorcycle was travelling northbound on 17th Street near 246th Avenue when it collided with a southbound Ford Focus.

The collision was in the northbound lanes and speed is being investigated as a factor, according to the release.

The two people on the motorcycle were pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the Ford, a 39-year-old woman, sustained serious but non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to hospital.

Police say the investigation is ongoing.