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A 55-year-old Northern Tasmanian woman and a 83-year-old Launceston man have died in separate crashes on Thursday.
Tasmania Police said early investigations suggested both drivers suffered separate medical episodes.
The woman died after her car veered into the path of a Metro bus at the bottom of Queechy Hill at Norwood about 9.20am.
The woman was transported to the Launceston General Hospital by ambulance in a “very serious” condition, but died upon arrival.
“Certainly we have to investigate as to why she has moved partly on to the wrong side of the road,” Senior Sergeant Jason Jones said.
Wreckage was strewn across the road, leaving the car severely damaged. Tasmania Fire Service used rescue equipment to free the woman.
The car’s driver’s side front tyre was found about 40 metres from the car.
The bus driver was treated at the scene for shock, then transported to hospital by another ambulance.
“The bus driver is currently under a little bit of shock, but otherwise unharmed. There was one adult passenger that was on the bus, who was uninjured,” Senior Sergeant Jones said.
“They’re fine, we have their details and they have left the scene.”
A Metro spokesman said the company was providing appropriate support to those involved.
Penquite Road was closed for more than three hours while transport inspectors and police conducted their investigations.
In the afternoon, a 83-year-old man from Newstead died in a two-vehicle crash on Evandale Road at Western Junction.
Tasmania Police Sergeant Phillip Summers said early investigations suggested the man crashed into a ute, which was also travelling north.
The Northern Midlands Council utility vehicle overturned and came to rest against a fence. The collision caused the Jaguar to run off the road, where it came to rest against a tree.
“The medical incident has caused him to accelerate and run into the back of the ute. The ute has been pushed off the road and has come resting next to a fence. The Jaguar has gone down the road, off the road and into some trees.”
The male council worker and the male passenger of the Jaguar, both believed to be in their 40s, were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The road was closed for more than three hours. All three emergency services attended the crash.
"In some ways we’re lucky that no one else was injured or killed,” Sergeant Summers said.
Emergency crews were also called to a crash between a truck and a car near Poatina. It was believed the crash was “not serious”.