The first few miles of the Northern Highway in a state of utter ruin after the floods, but the disaster of that area could hardly compare to a violent collision this afternoon near mile eight.

Jacqueline Godwin was first on the scene and she has this story.

Jacqueline Godwin, Reporting
When 7News arrived on the scene one of the victims, a female passenger was being carted away on a stretcher with what appeared to be an injury to her foot while other medical teams were busy attending to other persons who had gotten hurt in the accident.

The crash occurred at about mile seven and a half on the northern highway. The white tour van carrying tourists from the carnival cruise ship was northbound but as it passed between miles seven and eight it crashed into the blue Isuzu trooper believed to be a rental vehicle that had just left the Phillip Goldson International Airport.

It is reported that the SUV driven at the time by an American national was carrying approximately four passengers. The man reportedly lost control of the SUV that caused it to swerve across the left hand side of the road and into the path of the oncoming vehicle.

Roger Espejo - Assisted Injured Passengers
"We had one gentleman who had a hip fracture and dislocated shoulder. We had a lot of abrasions and incisions and some broken bones but I am no doctor so I cannot really categorically speak, you know I just can speak on what I understood from the paramedics around."

Jacqueline Godwin,
"We are receiving conflicting reports in terms of just how many people were injured. We understand that 11 persons were involved."

Roger Espejo - Assisted Injured Passengers
"In this accident? I cannot confirm because when I arrived at the scene the most serious ones had already been rushed off, but as you can see the van seems to be a 15 seater van. I would assume between ten to fifteen people can fit into that van but I cannot confirm just how many people were in the van nor can I confirm how many people were in the SUV."

The passengers were assisted by medical teams from the nearby Belize Defence Force Hospital and the Belize Emergency Response Team.

One of the most seriously injured is the driver of the Isuzu trooper.

Warrant Officer David Diego - Force Sgt Major, BDF
"His right hand is somewhat broken up on the top but according to the medical people it was very good for him that he did not have an open fracture because it would have been detrimental because they would have had to cut it off. So what happen is that he had a close fracture not an open fracture so they could deal with it but it was a severe fracture."

Jacqueline Godwin
"Do you know how many people were injured?

Warrant Officer David Diego - Force Sgt Major, BDF

"Well, actually, from my point of view when I came here, it is about six people we actually helped to take off the vehicle that was carrying tourists.

Jacqueline Godwin
"So it was mostly tourists who got injured?"

Warrant Officer David Diego - Force Sgt Major, BDF
"Yes, it was mostly tourists who got injured and one good thing about it is we do not have any fatalities."

"Some of the injuries, some of the people complain about their hips, so probably there are some hip injuries, some are a talking about leg injuries, knee injury and also calves. So basically it is the lower body except for one man who had a mouth problem. He was there doing something, reading and when the vehicles collided he actually hit his mouth on the seat that was in front of him."

Jacqueline Godwin,
"And most of the passengers who got injured were seated to the front of the vehicle? Yes, they were seated and some of them said that they had on their seatbelts but not all of them."

Ladyville Police are still investigating and at this time it is still not known what caused the driver of the SUV to lose control. The accident did cause traffic to be backed for miles for approximately forty five minutes.

Jacqueline Godwin reporting for 7News.

Late this evening 7news contacted Ladyville police. They say at this time they only have the name of the driver of the white van. He has been identified as thirty three year old Lloyd Young, a driver for Angel Tours and Charter. Police say because the driver of the SUV has been undergoing medical treatment they have been unable to interview him.

Authorities say a total of 18 persons were injured. Thirteen from the white tour van and five from the SUV including a pregnant woman.