Two teenagers killed after car plunges from bridge and smashes into minibus on M1

James Saunders
Sat, 11 Apr 2026 05:43:13 +0000

Two teenagers have been killed after their car plunged off a bridge over the M1 and hit a passing minibus.

The pair were travelling in a blue car along Gilmorton Lane, heading towards Lutterworth in Leicestershire on Friday when the vehicle fell from the overpass.

Their car struck a white Fiat Ducato minibus travelling south on the motorway below.

Emergency crews rushed to the scene at 1.33pm before both teenagers were pronounced dead at the scene.

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The crash happened between the J21 Leicester and J20 Lutterworth, forcing authorities to close the motorway in both directions.

Four people in the minibus were also taken to hospital, though their injuries were not life-threatening.

Its driver, a man, has since been released, while three women remain under medical care.

The motorway stayed closed after the crash and police warned it would likely remain shut for several more hours.

By Saturday morning, the road had been reopened in both directions.

But motorists were trapped on the M1 for more than 10 hours throughout Friday afternoon and into the night.

Oil and fuel spillages from the collision also forced the closure of a nearby stretch of motorway close to East Midlands Airport.

Distressed families with children vented their frustration on social media, complaining of a complete lack of communication from authorities.

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Mother-of-two Grace Victory said: "I've now cried because I just don't know what to do. Two kids. No water left. No snacks left.

"It's their bedtime so they are absolutely losing it.

"No communication from police or the highways agency. People are having to now walk up and get answers.

"There's babies here. There's other kids here. I just cannot believe it."

She later added: "We are cold. We are tired. We are getting no communication from emergency services."

Leicestershire Police confirmed that fire and ambulance services attended the scene.

Officers are now appealing for witnesses who were driving on Gilmorton Lane or the M1 near junction 20 in either direction at around 1.30pm on Friday.

Anyone with information should contact police on 101, quoting incident number 308 of April 10.