A woman died and several other people were injured in a horrific pile-up on the A9.
The smash happened between Dunbeath and Berriedale in Caithness and left the road closed for nearly 11 hours.
Seventy-two-year-old Elizabeth Williams was trapped in the wreckage of a pale blue Jaguar S-Type and died at the scene.
She had to be cut free from the wreckage of the vehicle by firefighters.
The pensioner, who was from Thurso, was a passenger in the car. It is understood the driver was also injured.
The crash also involved a grey Volkswagen Golf and a red VW Golf.
The grey Golf collided with the passenger side of the Jaguar, with the front and side of both vehicles left badly damaged.
Police said five cars were involved in the accident, but refused to give any details about the other two vehicles.
Officers said weather conditions had been good at the time of the accident – but the scene was shrouded with fog later in the day as they carried out an investigation.
The fire service sent two crews to the scene of the crash from Wick, one from Helmsdale and one from Lybster.
A spokeswoman said: “We cut the fatality out of one of the vehicles. I believe she was elderly. Crews made the scene safe.”
A number of other people were treated for minor injuries, but police refused to give any further details last night.
The Inverness-Thurso stretch of the A9 was closed and a 70-mile diversion was put in place via the A897 Helmsdale to Melvich road.
A police spokesman said: “Police can confirm that sadly a woman has died following a road traffic collision on the A9 north of Berriedale on Saturday afternoon.
“The collision happened at about 2pm and involved three vehicles. In addition to the fatality, there were minor injuries to a number of others.
“The road was closed and diversions were put in place.”
The road was re-opened around 1am yesterday.
Meanwhile, emergency services attended a crash on the A82 Inverness-Glasgow road last night near Glenmoriston.
The road was blocked for about two hours after the accident, which happened just before 6pm.
Police refused to say how many vehicles were involved in the incident, or if anyone had been injured. The road was fully reopened at 8pm.
And there was a serious accident involving two cars and a caravan in Shetland yesterday.
Police warned motorists of delays on the A970 at Cunningsburgh following the smash.
It happened around 3.27pm. Local diversions were in place via Aithsetter.
Police have urged witnesses to the A9 accident to contact them on 101.