The bodies of the two teenagers recovered by Fire and Rescue Department personnel after a Toyota Fortuner went off the road and landed in a river at KM 38 Semporna-Tawau road on Saturday night.
KOTA KINABALU: Three family members and two teenage friends were killed in separate accidents in Kudat and Semporna yesterday.
In the first mishap, three members of a family were found scorched after their car was burned following a collision with a lorry at KM39 of Jalan Kudat-Kota Kinabalu, near Kampung Hobut, Kudat on Saturday.
Kudat police chief Superintendent Douglas Nyeging Taong said victims Sagandal Soborong, 59, Talina Gunsidat, 59, and their daughter, Racy Sagandal, 19, from Kampung Tambuluran, Kudat were believed to be on their way back home after attending a wedding ceremony in Matunggong.
Douglas said two of the victims were found dead in the front driver and passenger seats of the car while one was found in the back seat. All three bodies were sent to Kudat Hospital for post-mortem.
“In the 8.27 pm incident, the victims travelling in a Proton Saga believed to have gone out of control entered the opposite lane and collided with the lorry which was heading from Kudat to Kota Kinabalu.
“The accident occurred at the top of a hill, and the road condition in both directions of Kudat and Kota Kinabalu was paved (but) it was dark and unlit,” he said in a statement yesterday.
Douglas said the 33-year-old lorry driver was also injured and was sent to the same hospital for further treatment.
He also advised the public to be careful when driving at night, especially in areas with no street lights.
Meanwhile, the Sabah Fire and Rescue Department in a statement said it received a call regarding the accident at 8.26 pm.
Ten personnel from the Kudat Fire and Rescue Station rushed to the scene in a fire-engine and EMRS ambulance and were assisted by voluntary firemen from Pinawantai and Kampung Air to extinguish the fire. The operation ended at 10.46pm.
In the second accident, two teenagers were killed and three of their friends were injured after a Toyota Fortuner went off the road and landed in a river at KM 38 Semporna-Tawau road on Saturday night.
Mohd Iqhram Robert, 18, and Mohd Razmin Kadariah, 19, both from Semporna, from Kampung Bangau-Bangau and Water Department staff quarters in Semporna respectively, were believed to have been killed on the spot.
Their 18-year-old friends, Muhammad Firdaus who was driving and Nur Mohmmad Nazdrul Nizam are in critical condition while Muhd Hamirzan Maksud and Muhammad Ilyas Herman escaped with minor injuries.
District police chief Superintendent Peter AK Umbuas said the incident happened about 7.30pm as the victims were on their way from Semporna to Tawau.
The driver was believed to have lost control of the vehicle at a road bend and shot over a bridge wall before ending up in the river about 10 meters deep.
Peter said the case is being investigated under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act.