Australian leader’s security detail injured in election campaign crash

A security car travelling with the Australian prime minister went off the road on Thursday after crashing with another car, injuring four police officers and disrupting plans for an election campaign event, authorities said.

The unmarked “follow vehicle”, which was trailing Prime Minister Scott Morrison to a campaign stop, left the road and went down an embankment after apparently being hit in the nearby a car that was changing lanes near Launceston on the island state of Tasmania, state police said.

Two federal police officers and two state police officers received non-life threatening injuries and were taken to hospital, police said. They did not give further detail about the injuries but said all four officers were conscious.

The driver of the other vehicle, a utility vehicle, was uninjured, they added.

Morrison’s office said in a statement that the prime minister was not involved in the accident but the campaign event had been cancelled.

“The PM is always extremely grateful for the protection provided by his security team and extends his best wishes for their recovery and to their families,” the office said.

Police said they were investigating.

Australia is scheduled to hold a general election on May 21.