A man has died and a woman is fighting for her life following a multi-vehicle crash on the M4 near Heathrow Airport, which occurred shortly after a police pursuit. The incident happened between junction 3 Feltham and junction 4B just before midnight.
Emergency services were called to the scene at around 11.37pm, where they found two occupants in a white Volkswagen Golf with serious injuries. Despite efforts, a 63-year-old man died at the scene. His next of kin have been informed and are being supported by specialist officers.
A 62-year-old woman was taken to hospital in a life-threatening condition, while a 29-year-old man also suffered non-life-threatening injuries. The second vehicle involved, a black BMW 320i, had previously been pursued by Thames Valley Police but was no longer being chased at the time of the crash, according to the Metropolitan Police.
The occupant of the BMW, described as an Asian man of heavy build wearing dark clothing and carrying a black rucksack, fled the scene on foot. A manhunt is under way. Thames Valley Police has made a mandatory referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).
Detective Inspector John Millward of the Met’s Roads and Transport Policing said: 'Our thoughts are with the families and friends of the people involved. Our specialist detectives are now working at pace to establish the exact circumstances and locate the driver of the second car.'
The M4 was closed westbound for over 12 hours, causing long queues and congestion, with National Highways warning of two-hour delays. The closure also affected travellers heading to Heathrow, compounded by Tube strikes and a signal failure on the railways.
