Three people have died and two others remain critically ill after a head-on collision involving two cars on Tasmania’s Bass Highway.
The crash happened shortly before 2pm on Friday near the intersection with Gannons Hill Road, north of Elizabeth Town and west of Launceston.
Two 19-year-old women travelling in a white Chery station wagon towards Launceston were pronounced dead at the scene. A 51-year-old man, who was sitting in the rear of a white Isuzu D-MAX towing a trailer, also died.
The other two occupants of the Isuzu, both men in their 40s, suffered what police described as very serious injuries. The driver was flown to Royal Hobart Hospital, while the front-seat passenger was taken by ambulance to Launceston General Hospital before being transferred to Hobart on Saturday morning.
Both men remain in a critical condition.
Tasmania Police Commander Marco Ghedini said the collision had left three families grieving, while relatives of the injured men were facing an anxious wait.
“This is a tragic incident. Our thoughts go out to the families and loved ones of those involved,” he said.
The Bass Highway was closed in both directions for several hours as emergency crews and crash investigators worked at the scene. It has since reopened.
Police have not established why the vehicles collided and have yet to determine whether either car crossed into the path of oncoming traffic.
“There is a lot of evidence to work through and we’ll have a clearer picture as to what’s occurred as those investigations progress,” Commander Ghedini said.
Formal identification of those who died was still to take place, police said. Investigators have appealed for anyone with dashcam footage or information about the crash to contact Tasmania Police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
