Three people have been rushed to hospital, one via rescue helicopter, following a serious single-vehicle crash on the Illawarra's Shellharbour Road near Croome on Monday afternoon.
Emergency Response to Shellharbour Road
The incident occurred shortly after 12:15pm on Monday, January 12, 2026. Emergency services were called to Shellharbour Road after reports a car had left the roadway and collided with trees. The vehicle was carrying three occupants: a woman and a man, both in their 60s, and a young boy.
Paramedics treated the woman at the roadside for a serious arterial bleed in her upper leg, sustained during the impact. Due to the severity of her injuries, the Toll Ambulance Rescue Helicopter was tasked to the scene. She was airlifted to Sydney's St George Hospital in a serious condition.
Injuries to Man and Child
The male passenger, also in his 60s, suffered multiple injuries in the crash. Paramedics reported he was experiencing significant pain to his chest, groin, and neck area. The young boy travelling in the car received abrasions to his chest, head, and shoulder.
Both the man and the child were transported by road ambulance to Wollongong Hospital. Authorities confirmed they were in a stable condition upon arrival at the hospital.
A String of Illawarra Crashes
This serious crash adds to a concerning series of recent accidents across the Illawarra region. It follows a fatal collision in Appin on January 8, which claimed the life of a 17-year-old girl. The incidents have prompted renewed calls for road safety from local authorities and emergency services.
Investigations into the cause of the Croome crash are ongoing. Police are appealing for any witnesses or drivers with dashcam footage who were travelling on Shellharbour Road around midday on Monday to come forward.
