Panama City (USA) - They wanted to enjoy their spring break without a care in the world: Three teenagers were killed in a tragic car accident in the US state of Florida.

As the New York Post reported, the three 18-year-old students from Massachusetts were traveling on Highway 98 near Panama City, Florida, on Monday when the accident occurred.

According to police, the teenagers' SUV collided with a semi-truck that was making a U-turn. Due to the force of the impact, the car was thrown across the central reservation and came to a halt in a wooded area on the opposite side of the road.

Jimmy McIntosh and Hannah Wasserman were pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. Maisey O'Donnell was taken to hospital, where she later succumbed to her serious injuries. A fourth person in the car survived the accident but is in a critical condition.

Police are still investigating how the fatal collision occurred . McIntosh, who was at the wheel, may have seen the articulated lorry too late. The 19-year-old truck driver and his co-driver were not injured.

Maisey O'Donnell was a two-time Massachusetts diving champion and was well-liked at her school, Concord-Carlisle High School. "It's a tragedy," Maisey's coach told TV station WCVB. "The little kids looked up to her, the other divers looked up to her."

Hannah Wasserman was described on a GoFundMe donation page set up by family members as a "bright light who left us far too soon." "Hannah was one of a kind, warm and friendly. She had a way of making everyone feel seen, heard and loved," the page reads.

Principal Laurie Hunter said, "We are very grateful for the outpouring of sympathy we have received in this absolutely heartbreaking situation. Both parents and many classmates have suffered an incredible loss."