Police say a Ford Fiesta with five people inside crashed into a tree on Scaw Road, High Harrington, at around 3am.
The driver, a 23-year-old Maryport man, and a woman were trapped for about 45 minutes.
Once freed they were both given advanced life-saving medical procedures at the scene by two pre-hospital emergency care doctors from Penrith and Keswick alongside ambulance service paramedics before being flown by a Coastguard helicopter to the Royal Victoria Infirmiry in Newcastle.
Both are in a critical condition.
Two male passengers were taken to the West Cumberland Hospital. The severity of their injuries was not known last night.
Another man was taken to the Cumberland Infirmary, Carlisle, with serious injuries.
The road was closed for several hours while enquiries were carried out, but has since re-opened.
Anyone with information about the accident is asked to contact police on 101 and ask to speak to PC 391 Kelso.
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