Picture: Paul Scambler
THE Bass Highway near Travellers rest has re-opened follwing this morning's fatal accident.
An American woman has died after the car she was travelling in was struck by a cattle truck.
The crash occurred in the west bound lane of the highway next to a U-turn lane just before 9am.
It is the first road fatality in Tasmania this year.
Crash investigator Constable Nigel Housego said it appeared the Hyundai SUV, driven by a 71-year-old St Helens woman, had attempted to perform a U-turn from the left hand lane and had been struck by the fully-laden cattle truck coming up in the right hand lane.
The American woman was sitting in the front passenger seat and died at the Launceston General Hospital.
The driver and a male passenger who was travelling in the back seat are at the hospital in a critical condition.
``It's very sad that this has happened,'' Constable Housego said.
``It looks like these people were on holiday.''
The truck driver, a 68-year-old Launceston man, was not seriously injured.
Constable Housego said it was not known if any of the cattle were injured.
He said police were trying to arrange another stock truck to take the animals away.
The west bound lane of the Bass Highway has been closed at the Prospect turn-off and traffic diverted along Meander Valley Road.
It is expected to be closed for some hours while the crash investigation takes place.
Any witnesses to the crash are asked to call Crimestoppers on 1800 333 000.