2 killed in 'horrific' head-on collision on Moncton highway

Two people are dead following a crash Sunday evening on a highway just east of downtown Moncton.

RCMP said they believe a 32-year-old woman was driving the wrong way on Highway 15 and struck another vehicle head-on.

The driver of the second vehicle, a 43-year-old man, also died.

Two passengers in the first vehicle were taken to hospital with minor injuries, while two passengers from the second vehicle were taken to the hospital with serious injuries, the RCMP said in a news release. 

Police were called at about 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, the release said. 

RCMP did not respond to a request from CBC News for more information on Monday.

But Codiac RCMP Supt. Benoit Jolette briefly spoke to Moncton city council on Monday evening and called it a "horrific collision."

"We're still investigating the incident, however," Jolette said. "The highway was closed for several hours. There were several injuries and fatalities."

The release did not say the exact location of the collision, but alerts posted to social media said RCMP had closed Highway 15 between Harrisville Boulevard and Lewisville Road.

Police did not announce the road had reopened until about 9 a.m. Monday, about 15 hours later.

Moncton Fire Department, Ambulance New Brunswick, the coroner's office and an RCMP crash reconstructionist were also at the scene.