Three people were left critically injured this morning when a light motor vehicle crashed into a tree on Ravel Street in Vanderbijlpark.

ER24 paramedics arrived on the scene at 01:43 to find the light motor vehicle on the side of the road against a wall.

It is believed that the driver lost control of the vehicle, causing it to veer off the road, crash into a tree and come to a stop against the wall.

On closer inspection, medics found three people inside the vehicle. The driver and the front passenger were trapped inside.

Rescue services had to use specialised equipment to free the two entrapped patients.

Once freed, medics assessed the patients and found that two men and a woman had sustained numerous injuries and were in a critical condition.

Treatment and advanced life support interventions were immediately initiated, in an effort to stabilise the patients vital signs. Once treated, the critically injured driver was airlifted by a private medical helicopter to a private hospital while the two other patients were transported by ER24 to Mediclinic Emfuleni.

The details surrounding this incident are not yet known but local authorities were on the scene for further investigations.