TWO Atherton residents have been airlifted to Cairns Base Hospital following a head-on crash on the Kennedy Highway near Herberton this morning.

It took fire crews almost an hour to free the driver of the south-bound vehicle after a collision with a north-bound ute, returning from Mt Garnet races and rodeo.

The driver of the ute, a Tully man, was taken to Atherton Hospital.

He suffered minor injuries while the driver and the passenger in the other vehicle sustained chest injuries, broken bones and cuts.

Ravenshoe police officer-in-charge Sgt Michael Musumeci said the airbag in the car driven by the Atherton man had significantly reduced his injuries.

“The investigation has revealed that there has been a head-on collision and one of the vehicles has veered onto the wrong side of the road and has resulted in a major collision,” he said.

“At this stage, the investigation has not revealed why one of the vehicles was on the wrong side of the road.

”Police have already ruled out alcohol as a contributing factor in the crash but are still investigating the possibility of speed and poor weather as contributing factors.

Anyone with any information on the crash is urged to call the Ravenshoe police station on 4097 6200 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

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