Three bodies have been recovered from the swollen Tweed River in northern NSW a day after a mother and her two children died when their car ran off the road at Tumbulgum.
The victims have been identified as 43 year old Stephanie King from nearby Bilambil, her son Jacob Kabealo, 7, and her daughter Ella-Jane Kabealo, 11.
Miraculously, eight-year-old Chloe Kabealo swam to safety after the car entered the river about 1.40pm on Monday. She is now recovering with relatives.
Emergency services recovered the bodies from the river at about midday on Tuesday after locating the submerged vehicle on Monday afternoon.
Boats using sonar equipment located the vehicle about five metres from the northern river bank.
Former police officer Matt Grinham and his family pulled up moments after the accident at Dulguigan Road and tried to help.
Mr Grinham dove in to try to find the car, but could not.
“Just the helplessness of not being able to find the car. The bubbles were there but we just couldn’t get to the car.”
His son Thomas Grinham said the little girl who swam free was “really upset”.
“She couldn’t say much she just said my mum and little sister and my brother have gone in the river in a car.”
Emergency services were called after the girl escaped from the river and ran to a nearby property to raise the alarm.
A NSW Ambulance spokesperson told 7 News Online the survivor was taken to Tweed Heads District Hospital.
She was treated for multiple lacerations to her legs, abrasions and neck pain.