A five‐parameter family of solutions is investigated, describing the collision of plane‐fronted impulsive gravitational and shock electromagnetic waves. In the interaction region, to the future of the collision, it is a locally known solution of the Einstein–Maxwell electrovacuum equations of Petrov type D. The collision results in the formation of a Cauchy horizon. Extensions of the space‐time are constructed beyond the Cauchy horizon and beyond certain two‐dimensional surfaces that are mere coordinate singularities. It is found that in the extended space‐time the following may occur: (i) no curvature singularities, (ii) two‐dimensional spacelike curvature singularities, and (iii) two‐dimensional timelike curvature singularities, according to the ranges of the parameters of the solution.

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