NT woman shot in chest with arrow

A woman has been shot in the chest with an arrow during fighting at a remote Northern Territory community.

The 51-year-old was hit by an arrow fired from a crossbow, penetrating her arm and chest at Numbulwar on Monday evening.

She was flown in a CareFlight plane to Darwin hospital where she was in a stable condition on Tuesday.

NT Police watch commander Siiri Tennosaar said extra police were sent to Numbulwar when fighting broke out between feuding family groups on Monday.

"Police begin receiving reports from the community at about 5pm stating that large groups of persons were gathering to fight and that some were armed with crossbows and other weapons," she said.

"It does appear to be some feuding family groups and we're hopeful that mediation might assist in that regard.

"The police are there to try and keep the peace while elders in family groups tend to discuss matters that are causing the issues. Certainly we will be trying to assist those family groups to make peace."

Extra police from Minyerri and Ngukurr remain in Numbulwar to help the local station and investigations into offences are ongoing.