Two men from the Greater Hobart area have died following a two-vehicle crash on the East Derwent Highway at Old Beach on Tuesday, 23 June.
In a media release issued today, Wednesday 24 June, Tasmania Police confirmed the two men who died at the scene were the occupants of a silver Holden Barina. The driver was a 20-year-old man and his passenger was a 22-year-old man, both from Greater Hobart.
The collision with a grey Mitsubishi Triton occurred at about 11:55 am just north of Cassidys Road. Tasmania Police said that initial investigations indicate the Barina crossed to the opposite side of the road at an angle before the collision occurred.
The driver of the Mitsubishi Triton did not sustain serious physical injuries but was transported to the Royal Hobart Hospital as a precaution, according to the police statement.
The crash was the third fatal incident on Tasmanian roads since the preceding Friday, according to police statements. These incidents brought the state’s road toll for 2026 to 16, compared to 25 at the same time last year, Tasmania Police reported.
The East Derwent Highway was closed for several hours on Tuesday while Crash Investigation Services and Forensics officers examined the scene. The road reopened to traffic shortly after 5:30 pm, according to a report from Pulse Tasmania.
Tasmania Police Inspector Brenda Orr told Pulse Tasmania that the scene was “complex and confronting for first responders”.
Investigations are continuing and a report will be prepared for the Coroner. Police are appealing for any witnesses or anyone with dash cam footage of the vehicles prior to the crash to contact them on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers, quoting reference number 808925.