3 Women Dead, Several Others Injured in Horrific Car Crash

A police car at a crime scene in Cairns, Australia, on Dec. 20, 2014. (Peter Parks/AFP via Getty Images)

Three women were killed and many others injured following a catastrophic crash between a bus and a four-wheel drive towing a caravan on the highway.

The accident took place just after 11 a.m. on June 30 on the Bruce Highway in a 100 kilometre per hour zone at Gumlu, in the Whitsundays region.

Police confirmed that a Greyhound bus carrying 33 people collided with an SUV travelling the in opposite direction.

Three people died in the crash, including a woman in her 20s, a woman in her 30s, and a 56-year-old woman.

Seven people, some with serious injuries, were rushed to the Townsville University Hospital.

Three people have been discharged, Acting Chief Medical Officer Jason Yates confirmed.

Meanwhile, four people remained in intensive care, including two men aged 24 and 23 in a critical condition and another two men aged 27 and 51 in a stable condition.

In a statement on July 1, Queensland Police said the Forensic Crash Unit is investigating to understand the course of events that have led to this accident.

“Anyone with information that could assist investigations, including vision of the crash, is urged to contact police,” they said.

Police said the crash scene was “very, very confronting.”

“The challenge is this is the national highway,” Whitsunday Mayor Ry Collins told ABC radio.

“For many of our southern listeners, if you are to drive the road it doesn’t feel like a highway, it feels like a country road.”

“There’s no shoulders on the road, it is a fairly open section so I'd imagine the vehicles coming either way would have been able to see each other but there’s obviously been something happened here where one’s veered into the other’s lane.”

Greyhound Australia CEO Dan Smith described the car crash as “a tragic incident.”

“We are heartbroken that three passengers aboard Greyhound Australia service GX402 travelling from Brisbane to Townsville have died after a motor vehicle accident at Gumlu in North Queensland today,” Mr. Smith said in a statement on June 30.

“Our deepest sympathies go out to those involved and their families and friends.

Greyhound Australia is working closely with authorities to assist them with their investigation and providing support to team members impacted by the tragedy.

“We will provide further updates as more information becomes available and ask that you respect the privacy of those involved at this extremely difficult time.”

The highway reopened both lanes to traffic just after 12 a.m. on July 1.

AAP contributed to this article.