A 28-year-old female from Qualicum Beach was airlifted to a Victoria hospital shortly after noon on Friday after a head-on collision on Highway 19. Unconfirmed social media reports indicate the woman was still in critical condition in hospital on Monday.
The accident was about one kilometre north of the the on-ramp onto Highway 19 from Parksville/Errington.
Oceanside RCMP said it appears that a small, white hatchback was travelling northbound on Highway 19 when it crossed the median into the direct path of a pickup truck in the southbound lanes. The hatchback struck the pickup head-on.
Reports heard on the emergency radio channels appeared to indicate one person was unconscious and had to be cut out of the vehicle.
Oceanside RCMP said the two male occupants in the pickup were taken to Nanaimo Regional General Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Reports heard on the emergency radio channels appeared to indicate the highway was closed heading southbound in order to allow for the landing of a Medevac chopper.
The southbound lane on Highway 19 was kept to one lane of traffic until 6 p.m. Friday because of the seriousness of the accident and the injuries.
A traffic analyst was been brought in to do a full investigation. — NEWS Staff