The damaged SUV, which collided with a minivan carrying eight people, including four young children and two elderly women. (CBC)

The family of two young boys who died in a horrific car accident and a third boy who is in critical condition as a result of the accident are asking for the public's prayers as they try to cope with the tragedy.

"The family's obviously devastated," said RCMP Cpl. Peter Thiessen.

"They're thankful of all the support that they're getting from friends and family and from the public, and they're asking that the public continue to pray for the recovery of their third son."

The boys were rushed to B.C. Children's Hospital on Saturday morning and were described as "clinging to life" after a minivan breakdown resulted in a three-vehicle crash on Highway 1 in Coquitlam, B.C.

Cpl. Peter Thiessen speaks from the scene of the crash on Saturday. (CBC)

Two boys, aged six and nine, lost their fight for life on Sunday afternoon. They died at about 1 p.m. while their eight-year-old brother remained in critical condition.

The crash occurred when the minivan — carrying the three boys, their one-year-old brother, two women in their 40s and two other women in their 70s — broke down on the major highway.

Police unsure why the van didn't pull over

The van stopped in the HOV, or high-occupancy vehicle, lane and the passengers were waiting for help to arrive.

Police are unsure whether the van's hazard lights were on or why the van was stopped in the middle of the lane.

"There was enough room to pull over to the left side of the roadway to get out of the travel portion of the HOV lane," said Thiessen. "It isn't clear why she did not or was not able to do that, whether a mechanical issue or a fire prevented her from doing that. That is forming part of the investigation."

Police on the scene of the B.C. crash that killed two boys and left their brother in critical condition. (CBC)

It was when the van was stopped that a sport utility vehicle collided with the back of the van, spun out of control and hit another car.

Police are not saying whether the injured children were in booster seats at the time of the crash. They were also unsure how long the minivan had been stopped when it was hit.

The adults were taken to Royal Columbian Hospital. The younger women and the one-year-old sustained relatively minor injuries and were later released on Saturday.

The two elderly women remain in hospital in "very critical" condition and are awaiting surgery.

The drivers of the other two vehicles, both travelling alone in the HOV lane, suffered minor injuries.

Police said those drivers will likely be ticketed for travelling illegally in the HOV lane and more charges are possible.

The penalty for travelling illegally in the HOV lane is $121 and two demerit points.

Police will also be investigating the speed at which the sport utility vehicle was travelling and whether the driver was distracted, for example, by a cellphone.

Police also point out the road was wet and visibility limited at the time of the crash.