TWO men are dead and a man is in a critical condition in hospital after a truck hit a tree in northeast Victoria.
Paramedics were called to the scene at Sheepyard Wash Creek, near the town of Benalla just after midday today.
Police said the light truck had left the Midland Highway and struck a eucalypt tree.
Two men were found dead in the truck cabin, while the driver was initially trapped and was later airlifted to The Alfred Hospital in a critical condition with chest and head injuries.
The Major Collision Investigation unit will investigate the cause of the crash.
The deaths take Victoria's road toll to 144, compared with 128 at the same time last year.
