A car crashed into the Newcastle Knights crowd in Newcastle, Australia, on Saturday morning, injuring at least nine people according to initial reports. Hundreds of fans gathered to say good-bye to the Newcastle Knights team as they left their club ahead of their NRL Grand Final match in Sydney on Saturday. In a later update, police said 10 people were injured in the accident - including a number of children.
The crash happened on Newcastle Link Road at the Transfield Drive roundabout in Wallsend around 9:30 am local time. The fans had lined the road as part of a pre-grand-final farewell for the Knights who were heading to Sydney for Sunday’s match. Emergency services rushed to the scene after a car had struck people in the crowd, police said.
The incident triggered a major emergency response from the NSW Ambulance with multiple ambulances and helicopters on the scene. Several people were treated and taken to John Hunter Hospital. One person was airlifted from the scene for immediate medical care, it was reported.
The victims included children, and later reports confirmed that a five-year-old girl and a 67-year-old man were in critical condition. Other wounded included another five-year-old girl and a two-year-old girl, as well as adults. The other eight people injured were in stable condition, the report said.
Witnesses described chaotic scenes after the vehicle hit the crowd. People at the scene said some spectators were thrown into the air as the vehicle moved into the group of supporters. Emergency workers and bystanders rushed to help those who had been hit.
Police arrested the driver at the scene. Reports identified the driver as an 18-year-old P-plate motorist. They are still investigating how the vehicle lost control and struck the supporters. Newcastle Mayor Gavin Morris said the driver appeared to have been a Knights supporter and had been revving the vehicle before the crash, but the circumstances were still under investigation.
The Newcastle Knights changed their plans after the crash. The team bus was diverted from its planned route as authorities responded to the incident and prioritised the safety of the big crowd. Public safety was the club's priority after the incident disrupted the planned farewell, the club said.
The crash cast a shadow over what was expected to be an enormous celebration for Newcastle Knights supporters. Fans had been out on the street to support the team before heading to Sydney for the NRL Grand Final. But the crowd turned into a scene involving emergency vehicles, police, and injured spectators.
Investigators are still looking into what happened in the car crash, and at first thought it was not related to terrorism, police said.
The incident has also renewed attention to crowd safety around large sporting events. With an increasing number of supporters often gathering near roads to welcome or farewell teams, authorities and organisers face the challenge of managing both pedestrian and vehicle movement.
The condition of those critically injured is now of utmost concern. The accident occurred just one day before the Newcastle Knights' scheduled NRL Grand Final, so they were not only on the cusp of their season but were not able to celebrate their campaign.
