A Dufftown woman and a German tourist were taken to hospital yesterday following a head-on collision in Speyside.
Emergency services were called to the accident involving a black Peugeot 5008 and a red Volkswagen Polo on the A95 Keith to Aviemore road next to Craigellachie Bridge shortly after 3.30pm.
The crash left the Polo so mangled that firefighters from Keith and Elgin had to use cutting equipment on the side doors to free the female driver.
The woman was taken by ambulance to Dr Gray’s Hospital in Elgin to be treated for non-life threatening injuries.
The owners of the Peugeot were a couple from Germany who were travelling towards Craigellachie from Aberlour, with their two pet dogs.
After being treated at the scene initially, the woman was also transported to hospital.
Her husband walked away from the smash with only minor injuries and the two dogs were unhurt.
A fourth person believed to have been involved in the accident was also unharmed.
The road remained open after the crash, but police officers directed traffic at the scene for more than two hours until the two vehicles were recovered.
A police spokesman said: “There was a two-car crash at Craigellachie at 3.30pm.
“There were four casualties. There only appeared to be a couple of people injured and taken to Dr Gray’s Hospital in Elgin by ambulance. None of the injuries were life-threatening.
“One carriageway was blocked while the vehicles awaited recovery, but traffic was still flowing.
“The other two people involved appeared to have only suffered minor injuries.”
A spokesman for the ambulance service said: “We had two ambulances attend a road traffic accident on the A95 junction at Craigellachie.
“Both took casualties to Dr Gray’s Hospital in Elgin to receive treatment for their injuries.”
A fire and rescue service spokesman said: “Two appliances attended — one from Elgin and one from Keith.
“We got the call at 3.37pm and cutting gear was used to release one person from a vehicle.
“We released them and made the scene safe. The stop message came in at 4.13pm.”