Horror crash leaves two dead and three seriously injured

Two people were killed and three others have been seriously injured after a horror crash on the New South Wales mid-noth coast.

Emergency crews were called to the Pacific Highway at Maclean at 4.15pm yesterday after reports of a head-on smash between an elderly couple and another vehicle.

A 78-year-old man and his 73-year-old female passenger died when their car collided with a stationwagon driving in the opposite direction.

A woman aged in her 40s in the other car was flown to Gold Coast Hospital in a critical condition suffering from chest, abdominal and pelvic injuries.

The male driver aged in his 40s and a  12-year-old girl were both taken to Lismore Hospital with pelvic and abdominal injuries.

Inspector Joanne Reid said police were investigating the circumstances leading up to the crash.

"It was a dry and straight stretch of road, fatigue is a possible factor or any medical conditions the driver may have suffered from," she said.