A 26-year-old Everett woman died Wednesday night after her motorcycle hit a barrier near Interstate 90, throwing her and the driver of the motorcycle onto the express lanes, 40 feet below, according to the Washington State Patrol.

Aid units from the Mercer Island Fire Department were first responders on the scene.

The crash occurred just before 7 p.m., when the driver of the motorcycle, a 20-year-old Bothell man, struck a barrier on the interchange from I-405 to I-90, according to State Patrol. Speed might have been a factor in the crash, as the motorcyclists may have been attempting to catch up with other bikes, or the sun might have blinded the riders, according to Mercer Island Fire Department Battalion Chief Les Kenworthy.

Both riders were taken to Harborview Medical Center, where the passenger was declared dead on arrival.

State Patrol said both riders were wearing their helmets when the crash occurred. The investigation of the accident continues.