Three adults critical, two kids with serious injuries after Arnhem Hwy crash near Window to the Wetlands

A Darwin family and a young driver are fighting for their lives following a horrific head-on collision which blocked off a major Territory highway for hours over the long weekend. LATEST.

CareFlight NT were sent to a serious crash on the Arnhem Highway about 30km from the Stuart Highway turn-off. generic

January 29, 2024: A Darwin family and a young driver are fighting for their lives following a horrific head-on collision which blocked off a major Territory highway for hours over the long weekend.

NT Police Incident Controller Matthew Hollamby said five people remained in hospital following the serious two-vehicle crash on the Arnhem Highway, near the Window to the Wetlands tourism attraction on Friday.

It is understood a family of four were in a Toyota Prado while a 22-year-old was driving a single-cab Toyota HiLux when the two vehicles collided just after midday, 30km from the Stuart Highway turnoff.

NT Police Incident Controller Matthew Hollamby. Picture: Zizi Averill

“My understanding is that this crash was a head-on crash that occurred during a heavy, heavy rainfall,” Mr Hollamby said.

Bureau of Meteorology weather radars at nearby Middle Arm recorded a total of 78.8mm for Friday.

CareFlight confirmed all five people were flown to Royal Darwin Hospital, with three arriving in a critical condition.

Three days after the horror crash, Mr Hollamby confirmed the 22-year-old driver, a 53-year-old man and a 42-year-old woman remained in a critical condition.

The couple’s 10 and 16-year-old children also left with serious injuries.

It is understood the Arnhem Highway was closed for eight hours due to the severity of the crash, with many locals and Australia Day long weekend travellers cut off near the Adelaide River.

Mr Hollamby said he believed everyone involved was from the greater Darwin region, and appealed for anyone with dashcam of the Arnhem Highway from that day to come forward.

“It may assist in our investigation as the cause of the crash,” he said.

It is understood the Arnhem Highway was closed for eight hours due to the severity of the crash, with many locals and Australia Day long weekend travellers cut off near the Adelaide River.

Five in hospital after serious crash near Window to the Wetlands

UPDATE SAT: Five people were hospitalised and three remain in a critical condition following a two-vehicle collision on the Arnhem Highway, about 30km from the Stuart Highway turnoff on Friday afternoon.

One vehicle had four occupants, believed to have been two adults and two passengers aged under 18 and the other contained just the driver, with police saying all involved suffered a range of injuries in the smash.

The Arnhem Highway was closed until late Friday night as emergency services responded to the smash, but has since re-open to traffic.

Police are urging anyone who may have witnessed the crash or has dashcam footage along the Arnhem Highway to contact them on 131444.

Rescue chopper sent to serious highway crash

INITIAL FRI: Rescue choppers have been sent to a serious Northern Territory highway crash at a popular Top End tourism spot.

NT Police have confirmed emergency services were tasked to a serious crash on the Arnhem Highway about 30km from the Stuart Highway turn-off.

The NT Incident Map detailed the crash was first reported just after midday, at 12.08pm, near the Window to the Wetlands turn-off.

NT Police said the Arnhem Highway was closed to inbound and outbound traffic near the popular tourist attraction.

“Road blocks are currently in place at the scene and motorists are advised to avoid the area,” it said.

Police have not provided any details about the number of people involved, or the nature of any injuries.

However, witnesses at the scene said a CareFlight chopper had been deployed, with some injured people having already been transported from the site.

Window to the Wetlands operator Lynette Kenyon said family and friends of the people involved in the crash were waiting at her business hoping for news.

“I hope everything is good for the family,” Ms Kenyon said.

“It’s not a good thing to happen to anyone.

“My heart goes out to everyone who came out because they were checking in on their loved ones.”

She said once the news of the serious crash broke, many residents from the surrounding area came to make sure it was not their loved ones in the vehicle.

Ms Kenyon said she had also received panicked calls from friends and family to make sure she was not in the crash.

“It makes me happy that everyone cares about everyone,” she said.

Ms Kenyon said police had not given her any indication when the road would reopen, with long weekend travellers now stuck in the Adelaide River tourist spot.