Tuaran: Preliminary police investigations have found that the multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) involved in a fatal accident, which killed five students from the Mara Skills Institute (IKM), was being driven at high speed before losing control and crashing.
Tuaran District Police Chief, Supt Noraidin Ag Maidin, stated that the Toyota Wish MPV, which was carrying the victims from Kota Kinabalu heading towards Kota Belud, is believed to have lost control and swerved into the opposite lane.
“The MPV then collided with a lorry carrying a load of gravel from Tuaran heading towards Kota Kinabalu,” he said in a statement on Saturday.
Noraidin added that all the victims, who were trapped in the vehicle, were extricated by the fire and rescue team from the Kota Kinabalu Fire Station before their bodies were taken to Tuaran Hospital for a post-mortem.
The investigation is being conducted under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987, and so far, police have recorded statements from several individuals to assist with the investigation.
“Members of the public who have any information regarding the accident are urged to contact Traffic Investigation Officer Inspector Haffiz at 011-61600964 or report to any nearby police station,” he said.
In the incident, which occurred at 2:09 PM on Friday, five male students, aged 20, were killed at the scene after the MPV collided with a trailer.
The victims were Harianto Anuar, Neil Stanly Pletinie, Mohammad Ikhwan Kurniawan, Mohamad Zuhaikal Mohd Zaidy, and Daniel Sarag Jimmy.
