Two cousins have died after the 4WD they were travelling home from school in rolled near Parwan, west of Melbourne, on Tuesday afternoon. Sarah El Hawli, 7, died at the scene, while her cousin Ossama El Hawli, 11, was airlifted to The Royal Children's Hospital with critical injuries but died overnight. Police say the vehicle's 34-year-old female driver, who is Sarah's aunt and Ossama's mother, told family she lost control after swerving to avoid rocks on the road; investigators have ruled out speed, drugs and alcohol as factors and are continuing to examine the crash.

The eight-seater vehicle was carrying seven children when it flipped near the intersection of Nerowie and Parwan-Exford roads shortly before 4.30pm. Five other children, including a toddler, and the driver were treated in hospital and are in stable condition. Both children attended AI Iman College in Melton South, where Sarah had received a student of the week award earlier that day, and were members of the Australian Islamic Centre, which paid tribute to them. The crash prompted a large emergency response involving two helicopter crews, several ambulance teams and multiple fire crews.