Four children dead in Northern Territory’s deadliest crash in 16 years

Police say four children were killed in a horrific crash between a road train and a car, in what is the NT’s worst accident in years.

Four children who were killed in the deadliest crash in the Northern Territory since 2007 reportedly “didn’t stand a chance” after their car ignited into a “ball of fire”.

The horror crash, involving a four-wheel drive and a road train, occurred on a single lane stretch of the Stuart Highway near Pine Creek, in the Katherine region, 225 kilometres south of Darwin, on Friday afternoon.

A Mitsubishi Pajero collided head-on with a Shaw’s Darwin Transport road train towing three trailers, including two filled with mangoes, causing both vehicles to catch fire.

NT Police have confirmed six people were killed after a 4WD and road train crashed on the Stuart Highway.

The crash occurred 225km south of Darwin. Picture: Facebook.

On Saturday, NT Police said it initially believed six occupants in the four-wheel drive had died, however this was revised to four on Monday morning.

Each of the deceased are children.

The driver and passenger of the road train survived the accident and were flown to Royal Darwin Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

A Territory Expeditions tour driver, who was among the first to arrive at the crash, said other drivers had stopped to provide first aid to the road train driver but those inside the Mitsubishi “did not stand a chance at survival or being rescued in any way shape or form”.

“The entire car was one big ball of fire,” Daniel Hall told NT News. “Those people, they didn’t stand a chance.”

Mr Hall recalled one of the two crash survivors as having a look of “total devastation” in his eyes after sustaining injuries.

“He had that look on his face that he got away with his life by the skin of his teeth,” he told the publication.

Six people, including an infant, were killed in the crash. Picture: Sierra Haigh

“Police, fire and [paramedics] were met with a terrible scene and first tried to save those that could be,” Superintendent Daniel Shean told the ABC.

“I have been to a number of serious crashes in my career and this one is up there in terms of the seriousness of the crash, where we’ve got a vehicle that’s gone head-on into a truck.

“The fire caused irreparable damage to the [four-wheel drive] and persons inside.”

Forensic investigators are working to identify those killed. Picture: Oliver Chaseling, ABC News.

Superintendent Shean said major crash investigators were working to determine the cause of the accident, with “speed, alcohol and attention” factors that will be investigated.

NT Police are also calling on anyone in the area at the time, who may have captured the accident on video, to contact them.

Detective Senior Sergeant Brendan Lindner said: “Investigations into the incident remain ongoing and anyone with dash cam who was travelling the area, between 2:30pm and 4:45pm on Friday, is urged to make contact on 131 444.

“This incident has, and will, impact a large number in the community and all efforts are underway to identify and recover the deceased and to notify their next of kin.”

Originally published as Four children dead in Northern Territory’s deadliest crash in 16 years