Switzerland's Gotthard road tunnel closed by deadly crash Published duration 13 December 2017

image copyright EPA image caption The tunnel is a vital north-south link through the Alps

One of Europe's main transport routes, the Gotthard road tunnel in Switzerland, was shut for several hours after a deadly crash.

Police said two people were killed and four injured in the head-on crash between a car and a lorry on Wednesday morning local time.

The tunnel, which runs under the Alps, reopened at 1430 GMT, police said.

Investigators said it appeared that the driver of the German-registered car had crossed the central line.

The 10 mile (17km) tunnel, which opened in 1980, is a main north-to-south route for Europe and is used by more than a million freight lorries a year.

In 2001, 11 people were killed when two lorries collided head-on in the tunnel, triggering a huge fire. The tunnel reopened with stricter safety measures in place.

Last year, the Gotthard rail tunnel was opened to try to relieve some of the traffic using other routes.

Related Topics Switzerland

Road safety