An 11-year-old girl has died after a vehicle veered off the Bruxner Highway and plunged into a dam near Tenterfield in New South Wales on Wednesday, police said.
Emergency services were called to the scene at about 3:30 p.m. on the Bruxner Highway near Bryans Gap Road in the New England region after reports that a black SUV had left the road and entered the water. Officers were told the vehicle struck a tree before ending up submerged in the dam.
The child was pulled from the submerged vehicle unresponsive and was pronounced dead at the scene despite paramedics' attempts to resuscitate her, police said. A 50-year-old female driver was also rescued from the water and taken to Tenterfield Hospital in a stable condition.
Police established a crime scene and launched an urgent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the single-vehicle crash. Investigating officers are examining the scene and any available evidence; a report will be prepared for the coroner, authorities said.
State emergency services and local police attended the incident, with ambulance personnel providing treatment at the scene before the girl was declared deceased. The identity of the child has not been released pending family notification.
The investigation is ongoing and police have not released details on possible causes, such as speed, mechanical failure or impairment. Detectives are conducting inquiries, which typically include witness statements, forensic examination of the vehicle and analysis of the roadway. Road closures or diversions were put in place temporarily while emergency crews worked at the scene.
Coroners and traffic safety authorities routinely review fatal single-vehicle crashes to determine contributing factors and whether any safety recommendations are warranted. The NSW Police Force asked anyone with information or dashcam footage from the Bruxner Highway near Bryans Gap Road around the time of the crash to come forward to assist inquiries.
A formal update is expected as investigators complete examinations and prepare material for the coroner's consideration.