Tragedy as three University of Wyoming swimmers - 18, 21 and 22 - are killed in 'devastating' single vehicle crash along Colorado highway

Three University of Wyoming swimmers were killed in a 'devastating' single-vehicle crash on a Colorado highway.

The students, an 18-year-old woman and two men, aged 21 and 22, died in the incident yesterday afternoon, while another two team members sustained injuries.

The car was making its way southbound on US Highway 287, 10 miles from the Wyoming-Colorado border, at around 2.44 pm, when the driver veered off the road, with the vehicle rolling over several times, the university said.

The car can be seen heavily damaged and lying on its side in a field with fragments strewn across the ground surrounded by emergency crews in footage taken from the crash site. The mangled vehicle is also shown being towed away on the back of a truck.

Two student athletes were ejected from the vehicle, the Coloradoan reports.

The car was making its way southbound on US Highway 287, 10 miles from the Wyoming-Colorado border, at about around 2.44 pm, when the driver veered off the road, with the vehicle rolling over several times, the university said. Pictured: The heavily damaged vehicle in a field

Two members of Wyoming's swimming and diving team, aged 20 and 21, sustained non-life-threatening injuries.

The Toyota RAV4, carrying five people, was heading south near Red Mountain Road in Larimer County when it came off the road and rolled over, CBS News reports.

The group was not traveling to an official school or athletic event, authorities said.

The highway was closed in both directions for most of the rest of the day on Thursday. An investigation is ongoing.

The University of Wyoming's President Ed Seides said in a statement: 'We are heartsick at the news of this terrible tragedy for our university, our state, our student-athlete community and, most importantly, the families and friends of these young people. Words are insufficient to express our sadness.'

The car can be seen lying on its sidewith fragments strewn across the ground surrounded by emergency crews in footage taken from the crash site

The mangled vehicle is also shown being towed away on the back of a truck

UW Director of Athletics Tom Burman said: 'My thoughts and prayers are with our swimming and diving student-athletes, coaches, families and friends.

'It is difficult to lose members of our University of Wyoming family, and we mourn the loss of these student-athletes. We have counseling services available to our student-athletes and coaches in our time of need.'

In September 2001, eight Wyoming cross-country and track runners were killed in a head-on collision involving their Jeep and a pick-up truck on the same highway where the swimmers died.

The group was making its way back from team bonding activities in nearby Fort Collins when Wyoming student Clinton Haskins crossed the dividing line while drunk and smashed into the team's vehicle, according to the Denver Post.

All of the passengers except for the driver, who had no alcohol or drugs in his system, were ejected from the vehicle.