Northern Territory Police has confirmed a woman and two men have died after being reported missing, following a failed crossing of the flooded Moyle River overnight.
15 passengers were inside a Toyota LandCruiser "Troop Carrier" when the driver attempted a river crossing about 14km west of Peppimenarti in the territory's north-west, police said.
12 of those inside the vehicle - usually designed to seat 11 - were able to get out before it became fully submerged. The vehicle was found about 50 metres downstream from the point of attempted crossing.
Police said rescue efforts last night were hampered by the lack of light and the rapid flow of the river.
A local mustering helicopter was used to help search efforts on Saturday morning, with no initial indication where the vehicle and remaining passengers were.
Receding waters later revealed the vehicle.
A police boat dispatched to the site found three deceased passengers inside the vehicle.
Police recovered the bodies of a male and female passenger, both 61 years old. Increases in river flows, however, have so far made it difficult to recover the body of the remaining passenger, a 21-year-old male.
