Australian prime minister’s security team injured in car crash

A car carrying Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s security team flipped and rolled down an embankment Thursday, with four officers taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Their car overturned after an accident with another vehicle while the prime minister was on the campaign trail in Tasmania ahead of May 21 elections, the state’s police said in a statement.

Morrison cancelled his remaining stops of the day after the accident but he was not involved or injured in the crash, his office said.

The prime minister described the officers who protect him and his family as “selfless, professional and incredibly generous”.

“I hope to hear further good news about their condition,” he said in a statement.

While the vehicle the officers were travelling in was badly damaged, the security detail’s injuries were “non-life-threatening”, police said.

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Morrison’s office said all four officers were conscious when they were transferred from the crash site.

Local police said they were still investigating the crash but it appeared the other vehicle had collided with the unmarked police car while trying to merge lanes.

It is not clear whether the security car was following the prime minister’s vehicle when the crash occurred.

• Australia