One soldier killed, six seriously hurt in accident

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The scene of the tragedy.

LAHAD DATU: A member of the Armed Forces was killed, while six personnel suffered serious injuries and 16 others escaped unhurt as the military lorry they were travelling in was involved in an accident at KM8 off Jalan Silabukan here yesterday.

District police chief ACP Hamzah Ahmad said the deceased was Mohd Farouk Bahar, 29, from Rompin, Johor.

“Initial police investigation found that the lorry, which was carrying 23 Armed Forces members, was heading towards Sandakan from the military camp at Cenderawasih about 10.50am.

“The driver lost control of the wheel while trying to enter its lane after overtaking a vehicle. The lorry later skidded and plunged into a drain and overturned,” he said when contacted yesterday.

Hamzah said the impact of the crash seriously damaged the lorry. He added that further investigation on the incident were ongoing.

District Fire and Rescue Department chief Mohd Apandi Mahmood said they were informed of the accident at 10.52am and rushed to the scene.

Apandi said upon arrival, all the victims had already been taken out and sent to the district hospital by members of the Armed Forces and the public.

However, he said the Fire and Rescue Department team undertook a ‘Size Up’ operation

at the area to ensure that there were no victims trapped under the lorry.

The lorry that was involved in the accident.