Police call for witnesses to fatal crash on M1 near Wollongong

Police are calling for witnesses to a horror crash near Wollongong on Friday night that left a woman dead, a teenager fighting for life and two children seriously injured.

Police are appealing for witnesses to come forward after a two-car crash near Wollongong left one woman dead, a teenager fighting for life and two children seriously injured.

Emergency services were called to the M1 Princes Motorway near Masters Rd at Figtree on Friday night after reports a sedan had struck a tree, trapping its four occupants.

A woman died and a teenager is fighting for life after this crash on Friday night. Picture: TNV

Police believe the blue Holden Statesman had careered off the southbound lanes of the highway about 7.15pm after it was involved in a collision with another car.

The female driver, Angela Darragh, 47, was declared dead at the scene, and a 15-year-old girl was flown to Westmead Hospital in a critical condition.

The two children, aged 5 and 10, had to be extricated from the wreckage before being taken to Wollongong Hospital in a serious but stable condition.

The 29-year-old driver of the Nissan, and her 32-year-old male passenger were uninjured.

The driver was taken to hospital for mandatory blood and urine testing.

Paramedics said the scene on arrival was confronting. Picture: TNV

Traffic diversions for southbound traffic were established, and northbound traffic was also diverted for a short time for a helicopter to land and take the injured people to hospital.

The crash is now being investigated by officers from the Southern Region Crash Investigation Unit.

“As inquiries continue, police are appealing to any witnesses to the crash or anyone who might have dashcam footage to contact crash investigators,” a police spokesman said.

NSW Ambulance acting inspector Nathan O’Brien said “no words can describe the scene” that faced emergency crews on Friday night.

“Going to a road accident when we know there are children involved is always difficult for first responders,” he said.

“Multiple patients with serious injuries can create a very challenging environment for paramedic crews. It is our responsibility to do everything we can to provide lifesaving treatment.

“Despite the best effort from paramedics sadly one patient died at the scene.”