One woman died as crashes on Skye and Inverness caused major disruption across the region yesterday.
The driver of a red Ford Fiesta was cut free after a one vehicle accident yesterday morning on the A87, around a mile north of Broadford on Skye, but she did not survive.
Emergency services also attended two separate crashes at the same junction on the A96 Inverness to Nairn road, near the Balloch junction, during the afternoon.
A lorry left the road following a collision with a car in the first incident at about 12.30pm, causing the temporary closure of the road but no injuries.
Two vehicles were involved in another crash at the junction at about 3pm, but there were not believed to be any serious injuries.
The woman who died on the tragedy in Skye was believed to have lived in the area.
Portree-based councillor Ian Renwick said: “I believe she is a local. I saw people writing on Facebook that there had been a tragedy.
“It is tragic news and our thoughts are with the family and friends. It is the same all over the Highlands, the traffic just increases over this period. A motorcylist was seriously injured at Cluanie on Saturday.
A Police Scotland spokesman said: “Police can confirm that following a one-vehicle road traffic collision on the A87 near Broadford, Isle of Skye, a woman has sadly died.
“The collision occurred around 10.10am. The woman was the only occupant of the car. The road was closed for several hours.
“A full collision investigation is taking place and police would appeal for any witnesses to make contact via 101.
“Further information will be available when next of kin are fully informed.”
Police were unable to release a name or age of the woman yesterday and would not provide details of the car involved.
Eyewitnesses said it was an older model of a red Ford Fiesta.
The accident took place on a long straight. It is understood the woman was travelling south towards Broadford.
A fire service spokesman said: “We were called to a road traffic collision one mile north of Broadford at 10.11am.
“One appliance from Kyle and one from Broadford were in attendance. We used a combi-tool and road traffic collision equipment to release one casualty from a car.”
