TUARAN - Preliminary police investigation found that the multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) involved in the accident which killed five MARA Skills Institute (IKM) students on Jalan Gayang yesterday was speeding before losing control and crashing into a lorry.
Tuaran police chief Supt Noraidin Ag Maidin said the victims’ vehicle, heading from Kota Kinabalu towards Kota Belud, was believed to have gone out of control before veering into the opposite lane.
"This caused the MPV to crash into a lorry transporting stones from Tuaran towards Kota Kinabalu,” he said in a statement today.
He said all the victims, who were trapped inside the vehicle, were extricated by the Tuaran Fire and Rescue Department personnel before their bodies were sent to Tuaran Hospital for post-mortem.
The case is being investigated under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987, and several individuals have had their statements recorded to assist in the investigation, he added.
"Anyone with information on the crash is urged to contact Traffic Investigation Officer Insp. Haffiz at 011-61600964 or approach the nearest police station,” he said.
In the 2.09 pm incident yesterday, five male students in their 20s died at the scene after the MPV they were travelling in collided with a trailer lorry. - BERNAMA