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Inquiry continues into M1 deaths Inquiry continues into M1 deaths
(41 minutes later)
Police are investigating a head-on collision between two cars on the M1 in Bedfordshire which killed five people.Police are investigating a head-on collision between two cars on the M1 in Bedfordshire which killed five people.
The accident happened on the southbound carriageway just south of junction 11 near Dunstable.The accident happened on the southbound carriageway just south of junction 11 near Dunstable.
The driver of a Polish-registered Volkswagen Passat was travelling in the wrong direction just before the smash with a Jaguar, police believe.The driver of a Polish-registered Volkswagen Passat was travelling in the wrong direction just before the smash with a Jaguar, police believe.
A police spokeswoman said they were "struggling to find the next of kin" of some of those who died.A police spokeswoman said they were "struggling to find the next of kin" of some of those who died.
The Passat driver together with two men and two women in the Jaguar were pronounced dead at the scene. The Passat driver together with two men and two women in the Jaguar, who are believed to be from the London area, were pronounced dead at the scene.
The cars were unrecognisable and there was nothing that could be done for the people involved Gary Sanderson, East of England Ambulance ServiceThe cars were unrecognisable and there was nothing that could be done for the people involved Gary Sanderson, East of England Ambulance Service
The police spokeswoman said two of the four in the Jaguar were an older couple and they were unsure of the relationship with the younger two.The police spokeswoman said two of the four in the Jaguar were an older couple and they were unsure of the relationship with the younger two.
She said officers were struggling to find relatives of those in the Jaguar and that the Passat driver's family had been traced to Poland but had not yet been informed.She said officers were struggling to find relatives of those in the Jaguar and that the Passat driver's family had been traced to Poland but had not yet been informed.
Victims will not be named until relatives are told.Victims will not be named until relatives are told.
The accident had been cleared shortly before 0500 BST and the motorway is open to traffic.The accident had been cleared shortly before 0500 BST and the motorway is open to traffic.
Insp Colin Bonner, of Bedfordshire Police, said he had no idea why the Passat had been going in the wrong direction.Insp Colin Bonner, of Bedfordshire Police, said he had no idea why the Passat had been going in the wrong direction.
"The vehicle would have been travelling towards Junction 10, where there are some roadworks and some road closures, but the motorway was open for through traffic," he said."The vehicle would have been travelling towards Junction 10, where there are some roadworks and some road closures, but the motorway was open for through traffic," he said.
"There was no reason for that vehicle to have turned round at all, so we are very interested if anyone witnessed that vehicle turning around and any reason why they saw it turn round.""There was no reason for that vehicle to have turned round at all, so we are very interested if anyone witnessed that vehicle turning around and any reason why they saw it turn round."
The part of the motorway where the crash happened was down to one lane for repairs, police said.The part of the motorway where the crash happened was down to one lane for repairs, police said.
Debris spreadDebris spread
The southbound carriageway between junctions 10 and 11 was closed for several hours overnight while police dealt with the scene.The southbound carriageway between junctions 10 and 11 was closed for several hours overnight while police dealt with the scene.
Gary Sanderson, from the East of England Ambulance Service, said the crash victims were "quickly" pronounced dead by the emergency services.Gary Sanderson, from the East of England Ambulance Service, said the crash victims were "quickly" pronounced dead by the emergency services.
He said: "The cars were unrecognisable and there was nothing that could be done for the people involved."He said: "The cars were unrecognisable and there was nothing that could be done for the people involved."
He said the debris was spread over quite a lot of the carriageway.He said the debris was spread over quite a lot of the carriageway.