Two 18-year-old men and a 72-year-old woman are in hospital following a serious two-vehicle crash near Nairn.
Emergency services were called to the A96 Aberdeen to Inverness road following reports of a multi-vehicle crash on Saturday evening.
The incident, involving a black Ford Fiesta car and a blue Fiat Ducato camper van, happened at the junction with the B9092 Ardersier road around 11.10pm.
The 18-year-old male driver and an 18-year-old male passenger of the Ford were taken to Raigmore Hospital. They remain in a stable condition.
Two female passengers in the Ford, a 17-year-old and an 18-year-old, were also transferred to hospital as a precaution.
The 72-year-old male driver of the camper van and the front seat passenger were uninjured.
However, the 72-year-old female rear seat passenger was also taken by ambulance to Raigmore. She is also described as being in a stable condition.
Investigations at the scene confirmed that the black Ford Fiesta car was being driving on the B9092 at the junction with the A96, when it collided with a blue Fiat Ducato camper van, travelling on the Inverness to Aberdeen trunk road.
Appeal for information
Police have now launched an investigation to uncover the events leading up to the crash.
Officers are urging anyone with dash-cam footage to get in touch and assist them with their inquiries.
Sergeant Alasdair MacKay, of the Road Policing Unit based in Inverness, said: “Our inquiries into the cause of the crash are continuing.
“Although the crash took place late at night, I would ask any witnesses, or anyone with information that will assist our ongoing investigation to contact us.
“I would also ask anyone driving on that road around the time of the crash with dash-cam footage to get in touch.”
Anyone with information should contact Police Scotland via 101 quoting reference number 4704 of Saturday, June 4.