Tributes have been paid to a 76-year-old woman who was killed in a crash on the A96 near Brodie.
Katrina Smith, from Burghead, died in the two-car collision on the Forres to Inverness road just before 6am yesterday.
Her family have paid tribute to her.
In a statement they said: “We are devastated at the loss of our much loved mam, granny and great-granny.”
Mrs Smith was driving a grey Peugeot. A 25-year-old man who was driving a silver Isuzu pickup was airlifted to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary following the crash, where he remains in a critical condition.
Sergeant Scott Deans said: “Our thoughts at this difficult time remain with those involved.
“Our investigations continue and in order to help piece together exactly what happened, I would urge anyone who may have seen either vehicle prior to the collision, or who saw the incident itself and who hasn’t yet come forward, to contact police.”
The road – which would have been busy with people heading north for Etape Loch Ness – was closed for 10 hours while collision investigators tried to piece together what had happened.
Debris from both vehicles, a silver pick-up truck and a smell grey Peugeot, was strewn across the carriageway as officers began examining the scene.
Moray MP Douglas Ross, whose constituency office is in Forres, passed on his condolences to Mrs Smith’s family.
He said: “This was clearly a serious accident and our thoughts are with everyone involved and their families at this time.
“Yet again our local emergency services have worked together to assist those in need and our thanks go to all involved in dealing with this accident.It is terrible when there is a fatality and our thoughts go out to the woman who has sadly lost her life, and her family and friends who received this devastating news.”
Forres councillor George Alexander added: “This is very sad news indeed, especially for the family who have lost a loved one. My thoughts are with them at this time.”
It is the second crash on the A96 in a week, after a car and van collided just outside Elgin on Wednesday. Shane Drury, 29, died in the tragedy.
Meanwhile, police are appealing for information following a two-car crash on the A887, five miles west of Invermoriston at Torgoyle Bridge.
Police, fire and ambulance crews received the call at 1.30pm.
One passenger was cut free by firefighters, but all occupants suffered only minor injuries.
The road opened at about 4pm.
