Thirty troops hurt in convoy crash on M50

Thirty members of the Defence Forces were injured today after the convoy they were travelling in was involved in a pile-up on the M50.

Two military trucks collided with a car on the northbound carriageway of the busy motorway on the outskirts of Dublin at around 10.50am.

The lorries carrying 75 troops were on their way to an exercise in the Cooley Mountains, Co Louth.

A spokesman for the Defence Forces said 30 troops were injured, one suffered a suspected broken leg, another a suspected broken collar bone, nine had spinal and neck injuries while 19 others suffered minor cuts and bruises.

Nine trucks were travelling in convoy on the M50 when the crash occurred.

Gardaí said emergency services including eight ambulances attended the scene and the injured were being taken to Beaumont Hospital by ambulances and military vehicles.

The M50 northbound has been closed between the Ballymun and Finglas exits and motorists are asked to avoid this area at all costs.

The troops were part of a potential Non-Commissioned Officer course from the 2 Eastern Brigade Training Centre from Cathal Brugha Barracks.