Two dead, child critical after highway crash in WA

Two individuals lost their lives and a child suffered critical injuries after a severe crash occurred on the North West Coastal Highway in Western Australia's Gascoyne region. The collision, which took place near Shark Bay, involved a RAM utility towing a caravan and a Toyota LandCruiser traveling in opposite directions. Both drivers, a 60-year-old man and a 45-year-old man, perished at the scene.

The child, aged 12, and a woman in her 50s, were critically injured and airlifted to Perth for medical treatment. The boy and the adult passenger are currently in a critical condition at Perth Children's Hospital and Royal Perth Hospital, respectively.

Emergency services, including St John WA, responded to the crash site, providing initial medical assistance to the injured. The boy received treatment from doctors and a nurse aboard an emergency jet before being transferred to Perth Children's Hospital. The woman was taken to Royal Perth Hospital.

The highway, notorious for its steep shoulders and erosion, was gradually reopening around 9 am. Vehicles were guided under escort between the Overland and Billabong roadhouses, with traffic moving at a reduced speed of 40 kilometers per hour in the vicinity of the crash site. Dozens of cars, caravans, and road trains had stopped at the Overlander Roadhouse, making for the busiest traffic period of the winter tourist season in the region.

WA Premier Roger Cook expressed his condolences to those affected by the incident, emphasizing that any death on the roads is one too many. He also hinted at the possibility of re-examining the $339.9 million allocated to road infrastructure and enforcement in the 2026-27 state budget, focusing on increasing safety features such as audible edging, centered markers, and wider and stronger shoulders.