Four soldiers on a training run were seriously injured when they were knocked down by a car driven by one of their own colleagues.
The accident happened at sunrise as the Black Watch troops pounded along a road between their barracks at Fort George and the village of Ardersier.
One of the soldiers was flown to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness by air ambulance, while the other three were taken by road ambulances.
None had life-threatening injuries.
The accident happened on the B9006 and it is understood the four members of the Black Watch 3rd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland were running in a group at the time.
The car driver was an Army colleague – and it is understood he was blinded by the low morning sun. He was not hurt in the collision.
Emergency services were called at around 9.20am.
The accident happened on a straight piece of road close to the football and rugby playing fields between the barracks and Ardersier.
A Ministry of Defence spokeswoman confirmed that military personnel had been injured in the incident but declined to comment further.
A police spokesman described the incident as a “serious road traffic accident”.
He added: “We are not in any way relating the incident to the current UK terrorist threat level.”
The road was closed for about 90 minutes as police carried out an investigation at the scene.
Several pieces of bodywork from the car were left on the grass verge close to where the collision happened.
The police spokesman added: “Four casualties were involved in the incident. One had to be airlifted while the other four were transferred to hospital by road ambulance.
“The driver involved was not injured.
“We are treating this incident as a serious road traffic accident. We are not in any way relating the incident to the current UK terrorist threat level.
“Inquiries are ongoing and a report will be sent to the procurator fiscal in due course.”
Culloden and Ardersier councillor Roddy Balfour: said: “It sounds like an unfortunate accident.
“Road conditions were not that good in the area because of the cold and that may have had something to do with it.
“There is a lot of ice about away from the main roads so I would urge people to be careful.”
In a separate incident, a bus and a car collided on the A95 Aviemore-Grantown road about a mile west of Drumuillie on icy roads.
Fire crews used “stabilisation equipment” to hold the car steady while the driver was helped from the car.
The drivers of both vehicles were taken to Raigmore Hospital following the collision at around 7.20am. Their injuries are not thought to be serious.
A spokeswoman for Stagecoach North Scotland said: “One of our vehicles travelling on the A95 near Drumuillie was involved in a collision with a car travelling in the opposite direction.
“The bus was not in service when our driver lost control of the vehicle due to icy road conditions.
“Safety is our absolute priority and we are thankful both drivers were not injured in this incident.”
The road was closed for more than an hour while emergency services dealt with the incident.