Two French police officers have been killed in an ambush on a prison van, with the inmate in the vehicle now reportedly on the run.

Three other officers were severely injured after the “ramming car attack” on a motorway in Eure, northwest France.

The ambush occurred near a toll booth on the A154 motorway at around 11.00am local time, according to Le Parisien newspaper.

The motorway has since been closed in both directions.

Reacting to the incident, French justice minister Eric Dupond-Moretti posted online: “A prison convoy was attacked in Eure. Two of our prison officers have died, three are seriously injured.

“All my thoughts are with the victims, their families and their colleagues.”