Two young women are fighting for their lives after a horror road collision in Co Louth on Sunday night.
The single-vehicle crash happened on the N53 in Rassan, Dundalk, at around 8.30pm.
The car, which had four occupants, collided with a tree.
A man, aged in his late teens, who was driving the car was not injured, while the front seat passenger, a man in his late teens, also escaped injury.
Two women travelling in the back seat of the car, aged 21 and 23, received serious injuries in the incident.
Emergency services rushed to the scene and the women were taken to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda where they remain in a critical condition.
Gardai have since closed the road and local diversions are in place.
A Garda investigation is under way while an appeal for witnesses to the crash has been issued.
A Garda spokesperson said: "Gardai are appealing for witnesses to a serious road traffic collision that occurred on the N53 in Rassan, Dundalk. The collision occurred at 8.30p.m. last night Sunday, February 20, 2022.
"The single vehicle collision occurred when a car collided with a tree. The male driver (late teens) was not injured and his male front seat passenger (late teens) was also uninjured.
"Two rear female passengers (23 & 21 years) received serious injuries and were removed from the scene to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda. Both women remain in a critical condition.
"The N53 road is currently closed at Rassan and local traffic diversions are in place. The Garda Forensic Collision Investigators are due at the scene later this morning.
"Gardai are appealing to any person who may have witnessed this collision to contact them. Any person who was travelling on the N53 last night between 8p.m. and 9p.m. and who may have camera (including dash cam) footage, is asked to make this available to investigating Gardaí.
"Anyone with any information in relation to this incident is asked to contact Dundalk Garda Station on (042) 9388400, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station.
"Investigations are ongoing."
