Two women have died after being hit by a car while trying to help an injured kangaroo on a busy freeway in Melbourne’s north.
Victorian police said emergency services had been called to reports two females were struck by a car on the Hume Freeway just after 7.30pm.
It was believed the pair had stopped to assist an injured kangaroo before they were struck, police said.
A 30-year-old woman died at the scene and another 30-year-old woman was airlifted to hospital but died shortly afterwards.
The driver of the vehicle remained at the scene and assisted police. The exact circumstances of the collision were being investigated, police said.
A spokesperson for wildlife rescue organisation Wires told local ABC radio it was “fully understandable” that people want to help injured animals.
“People get so distressed when they see an animal on the side of road,” he said.
In such situations they should contact wildlife rescue groups, he said.