Passenger dies and child in critical condition after car hits tree and catches fire in northern Victoria | Australia news

A person has died and a child has been airlifted to hospital in critical condition after the car they were travelling in left the road and hit a tree in Echuca.

Victoria police say they believe the car was travelling along the Murray Valley Highway just after 12.30pm when the accident occurred.

Three people were inside the vehicle when it left the road, collided with a tree and caught fire.

Emergency serves found a passenger dead, the child in critical condition and the driver with serious injuries. The two survivors were airlifted to hospital.

Authorities have yet to determine the circumstances of the accident with detectives from the Major Collision Investigation Unit to investigate.

Seven people have been killed on Victorian roads since the start of the year, which is down from the 13 deaths recorded at this time last year.