Three people are dead and another is in hospital after an early morning crash on Highway 22 southwest of Calgary.

RCMP were called to the area shortly after 3 a.m. Tuesday for a head-on crash between two vehicles — a Dodge Journey and a Scion — said Cpl. Tiffany McGregor with Turner Valley RCMP.

Three people were declared dead at the scene: a 34-year-old man who was driving the Journey, a 26-year-old man who was driving the Scion and his 31-year-old female passenger.

A 27-year-old woman, who was the passenger in the Journey, was airlifted to Foothills hospital in Calgary, according to STARS.

Her injuries are not considered life-threatening at this time, EMS said.

Highway 22X near the junction of Highway 22 east of Priddis was closed for hours as RCMP investigated a fatal crash. It reopened shortly before 9:30 a.m. (Dave Will/CBC)

RCMP collision analysts are investigating the cause of the crash.

Highway 22X was closed near the junction of Highway 22 east of Priddis on Tuesday morning, but reopened shortly before 9:30 a.m.

Deadly weekend

The Priddis crash was the second head-on triple fatal collision this weekend in Alberta.

A crash Sunday night between an SUV and a truck near Sylvan Lake claimed the life of a 39-year-old man and a five-year-old passenger from the SUV. The 30-year-old male driver of the truck was also killed.

A seven-year-old from the SUV was taken to hospital in Edmonton by air ambulance.

"This has been a dangerous weekend for motorists on Alberta highways," RCMP spokesman Fraser Logan said in a statement.

In a third tragic accident this weekend, two young boys from the Oaklane Hutterite Colony, aged 9 and 11, were killed Sunday night when a tractor puling a flatbed trailer carrying passengers on their way to go swimming rolled as it was going down a steep hill near Taber.

"We've multiple families that have been forever changed due to the loss of their loved ones," said Logan. "Alberta RCMP's thoughts do go out to those who have been affected."

With files from the Canadian Press