A HORROR crash has wiped out three members of one family — including an eleven-year-old boy — and left his younger brother fighting for his life in hospital.

Darren and Susana Milne were driving with their sons in a silver Toyota station wagon eading north on Enterprise Drive at Berkeley Vale on the NSW Central Coast about 12.20pm yesterday when the car veered off the road and hit a tree.

Witnesses said the vehicle was travelling between 90 to 100km/h and did not appear to brake before the impact, which was so severe the tree trunk smashed through the engine bay and ended up in the driver’s compartment.

Mr and Mrs Milne died instantly.

Paramedics valiantly tried to save a boy, 11, who was sitting in the back seat but he died at the scene.

Police are pursuing a number of lines of inquiry including driver inattention and whether it was a deliberate act.

media_camera Susana Milne with her two children. Mrs Milne, her husband Darren and youngest son, 7. Picture: Facebook

media_camera NSW Police Detectives search a house at Nerang Street Ryde following the death of three members of the Milne family in a road crash near Wyong on Sunday. Picture Craig Greenhill

media_camera Paramedics working on one of the injured family members. Picture: Mark Scott

The boy’s young brother, seven, was flown to The Children’s Hospital at Westmead in a critical condition and was last night in an induced coma. He has severe chest and leg injuries.

Detectives arrived at the Milne’s family home in Ryde this morning and have taken several items away in brown paper evidence bags.

Mr Milne’s aunt was contacted by police yesterday and remains in hospital by the young boy’s side as he fights for life.

His father is travelling back to Sydney from Burma after being notified about the crash.

Neighbours say the family moved to the area about three years ago but were quiet and mostly kept to themselves.

“It’s awful, it’s just so sad. I heard the family was from Sydney but never imagined they would be my neighbours. It’s very close to home” a neighbour, who did not wished to be named, said.

“I have four children myself and it just makes your realise how lucky you are.”

Both boys attended Truscott Street Public School. Neighbours say Ms Milne cared full-time for the boys and her husband was a senior engineer for Ausgrid.

Detectives have been sifting through the family’s belongings at their home this morning and hope to find contact details for Ms Milne’s family in Mexico.

It’s believed the family went on a day trip to the Central Coast on Sunday and were returning from the beach when their vehicle collided with a tree at full speed.

media_camera The horror crash scene. Picture: Mark Scott

Tuggerah Lakes duty officer Inspector Colin Lott it was a distressing incident.

“It’s always a difficult scene at any fatality but to see potentially a whole family lost, it makes it that much more distressing,” Insp Lott said.

‘‘All indications are it is one family but we are still making further inquiries.

‘‘We have not been able to contact any relatives of the persons involved, at this stage.”

Insp Lott said crash investigators would check the vehicle to ensure there was no mechanical failure prior to the accident.

Driver fatigue or the possibility of the driver suffering a medical episode would also be investigated.

“There are many scenarios that could be run by here — it could be inattention, it might be tiredness, so it’s far too early to speculate at this stage,” he said.

‘‘It was not a savage turn and the car was only a few metres off the road,’’ Inspector Lott said. ‘‘Most likely the driver turned to speak to the children.’’

Ftal crash at Berkley Vale

A report will be prepared for the information of the Coroner.

The accident happened on a straight and relatively quiet stretch of road with bush on both sides.

The road was closed for several hours as police examined the crash scene.

The crash follows a similarly tragic accident less than two weeks ago in South Australia in which three men, all from the same family, died in a head-on collision with a semi-trailer.

A total of 41 people have died on NSW roads since the start of 2015, an increase of more than 10 per cent compared to the same time last year.