Rugby player Merab Kvirikashvili injured in fatal car crash

Three people are dead and several others are critically injured after a serious car accident in Georgia's west.

Georgia's national rugby team member Merab Kvirikashvili, Rugby Club Lelo player Giorgi Lominadze and their wives are in intensive care after the crash on Thursday early evening. 

The four individuals were admitted to the Kutaisi Interventional Medicine Centre about 7pm after the vehicle they were travelling in collided with another car on the Kutaisi-Samtredia Highway in the Imereti region. 

Three people from the other car involved in the collision were killed in the accident. It is understood two of the deceased were a young couple who had a two-year-old child that was in Tbilisi at the time of the accident.

Doctors said Kvirikashvili was the least injured of the four people that had been taken to hospital; he was fully conscious and able to communicate with doctors and hospital staff. Kvirikashvili's wife Ani Buadze, Lominadze and his wife were in "critical" condition and were on life support.

The Minister of Health, Labour and Social Affairs of Georgia David Sergeenko reacted to the accident and said those injured were being given the best treatment possible. 

Sergeenko added there were no plans to transfer the patients to a hospital in Tbilisi, as they were being treated "adequately" at the Kutaisi Hospital.

Kvirikashvili is one of the most experienced members of the national rugby team. He has made 95 appearances for the team since his debut in 2003. The full back has also performed in four Rugby World Cup tournaments for the Lelos.

Giorgi Lominadze plays for Rugby Club Lelo in Georgia's national rugby championship.

The cause of the crash is unknown however initial reports released today state the two vehicles were moving at high speed before the crash.