Three men and two women aged in their 20s have died in a two-car road crash in Co Louth on Saturday night, Irish police said.

Superintendent Charlie Armstrong, from Dundalk garda station, said all five young people were in the same vehicle.

He said gardai are investigating all the circumstances of a fatal road traffic collision on the L3168 just outside Dundalk.

Police remain at the scene today with the road sealed off to allow investigation work to begin.

Gardai also confirmed that the bodies remain at the scene.

Superintendent Armstrong said: “Yesterday evening just after 9pm there was a serious road traffic collision involving two vehicles, a Volkswagen Golf and a Toyota Land Cruiser.

“Five occupants of the Volkswagen Golf, three males and two females all in their early 20s, were deceased at the scene.

“One occupant of the Volkswagen Golf, a male in his 20s, was removed to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda, for treatment of serious non-life-threatening injuries.

“The two occupants of the second vehicle, a male and a female, were also taken to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda, for medical treatment for non-life-threatening injuries.”

Independent Ireland MEP Ciaran Mullooly said in a statement: “Waking up on this day to hear such distressing news from a road accident in county Louth – thoughts and prayers with the families of those who have lost their lives, the injured and the emergency services dealing with the situation at the scene. RIP.”