‘Unimaginable loss’: Two children killed in horror crash on the way home from school

Tributes are flowing for two children who were killed when a four-wheel-drive rolled west of Melbourne.

Cousins Sarah El Hawli, 7, and Ossama El Hawli, 11, were travelling home from school when the four-wheel-drive they were in rolled down an embankment near the intersection of Nerowie and Parwan-Exford Road on Tuesday afternoon.

The car was being driven by Ossama’s 34-year-old mother, who was also Sarah’s aunty.

The mother had five of her children in the car, and the other two were relatives.

Sarah was described as the “smartest kid in her school”, and had won the student of the week award on Tuesday, according to The Age.

The children attended Al Iman College in Melton South, with students being supported by teachers.

A relative told The Age they were struggling to come to terms with the tragedy.

“She was an angel … she is an angel now,” they said.

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Emergency services were called to the scene in Parwan just before 4pm on Tuesday to find an eight-seater four-wheel drive had rolled, causing multiple injuries.

The family of the mother told 9News that she had swerved to avoid rocks on the road.

The five surviving children were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, with a teenage boy and primary school aged boy suffering upper bodies but remaining in a stable condition, while a female toddler sustained a minor upper body injury and was in a stable condition.

The children remained at the Royal Children’s Hospital.

The mother was hospitalised for observation, and was discharged on Wednesday afternoon.

Some wreckage from the crash was still visible at the crash site on Wednesday, including plastic water bottles and an electronic tablet.

The Australian Islamic Council released a statement on Wednesday afternoon paying tribute to the two children who tragically died.

“It is with profound sadness that the Australian Islamic Centre mourns the passing of Ossama El Hawli and Sarah El Hawli,” the centre said, calling them “two beloved members of our community”.

“Our hearts are with their parents, family and loved ones as they face an unimaginable loss.”

The funeral for the two children will be held on Thursday at Newport Mosque.

Speed and alcohol are not believed to have triggered the crash.

Police called for anyone with footage of the incident or other information to come forward.

“The vehicle inexplicably rolled, we don’t know why,” Victoria Police’s Tony Gentile said at the scene.

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“This is just a really sad set of circumstances.

“The scene was quite hectic, with family coming as well, and there were people everywhere.”

Major collision investigation unit detectives have begun investigating the crash.