Children, the youngest just 10, in hospital after ‘tragic, senseless’ crash

When the minivan crashed into a tree, killing four people, three children, the youngest of whom was 10 years old, were seriously injured and taken to the hospital.

Emergency services were called to Chapel Road in Muckatah, about 10 kilometers south of Cobram, just before 5pm on Monday after the van carrying nine people left the road. In the accident, 4 people died at the scene and 5 people were taken to hospital by land and air.

Police said the occupants of the white Toyota HiAce van included six adults, believed to be three men and three women, as well as three children.

Speaking to media at the scene on Monday evening, acting chief Ashley Mason said the “tragic, senseless” crash would devastate the lives of the victims’ families ahead of the holiday season.

“This is an absolutely tragic incident,” Mason said.

Mason said the children were aged between 10 and 16 and all were being treated at the hospital. While the children’s exact conditions are unknown, “all survivors suffered multiple serious injuries, some critical and some life-threatening,” he said. He said the identities of those inside were not yet known.

“We believe the driver, who we believe to be a male, survived and was transported by ambulance to Melbourne,” Mason said. One passenger also survived.

“We have four fatalities and, as we know, we are only 10 days away from Christmas. Four senseless fatalities, but having said that, we currently do not know why or how this collision occurred. This will be the focus of the investigation by our major collision investigation unit.”