The RCMP is investigating a deadly crash on the Saddle Lake Cree Nation involving two vehicles that were carrying a total of 16 people on Tuesday night.
Police said officers were called to the crash at 8:30 p.m. A van with six people in it was headed south on a road when it “crossed into the path” of a van with 10 people in it that was headed north.
A 42-year-old man and a 43-year-old woman who were in the van heading north – both from Saddle Lake – were pronounced dead at the scene, the RCMP said. The other 14 people were taken to hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. Ten of the occupants were under the age of 18. One was only a year old and another was just two years old.
According to police, people in both vans had been trick-or-treating in St. Paul for Halloween before the crash.
“It’s very tragic and our thoughts are with the family of the deceased and the community of Saddle Lake Cree Nation,” RCMP Cpl. Ron Bumbry said.
The road was closed for several hours while an investigation ensued. On Wednesday, police said all possible factors were still being looked at for a potential cause for the crash, including weather and road conditions.
Police said it was snowing and the roads were slippery at the time of the crash.
Saddle Lake Cree Nation is located about 165 kilometres northeast of Edmonton.
-With files from The Canadian Press