3 motorcyclists died on southern I-5 near Camp Pendleton in an accident that closed the highway for hours

Three motorcyclists were killed and five people were injured in a rear-end collision on southern Interstate 5 near Camp Pendleton early Thursday morning, authorities said. The highway had to be closed for hours as a result.

All lanes of southbound I-5 were closed at Las Pulgas Road for nearly seven hours while the CHP investigated the crash. The closure caused a massive backup for drivers coming from Orange County and also caused a backup in the northbound lanes as traffic was diverted onto northbound I-5 at the Las Pulgas exit.

Two of the southbound lanes reopened shortly before 10 a.m., CHP Officer Hunter Gerber said.