SEMPORNA: The fatal road accident that killed two foreign tourists and injured five people involved three vehicles.
District police chief Superintendent Mohd Farhan Lee Abdullah said apart from the tour bus and a trailer lorry, there was also another box lorry during the incident at 330pm at KM 21 of the Semporna-Tawau highway.
"The violation occurred due to the trailer lorry losing control, veering onto the opposite lane on the right side of the road.
"It has then collided with the tourist van carrying 5 Singaporean passengers and 1 Vietnamese passenger aged between 11 and 71.
"As a result of the collision, debris flew towards the front mirror of the box lorry behind the trailer lorry, causing it to shatter," he said in a statement.
Mohd Farhan said a Singaporean and a Vietnamese passenger aged in their 40s and 60s respectively died at the scene.
The Malaysian driver and four other passengers, all Singaporeans, of the tourist van sustained severe injuries and were sent to Tawau Hospital for further treatment.
Both the drivers of the trailer lorry and the box lorry did not sustain injuries.
"The 29-year-old trailer lorry driver has been detained to assist in the investigation."
The case is being investigated under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987.
Mohd Farhan also called those with information about the incident can contact Traffic Investigator Officer IPD Semporna, Insp Hemkkumar A/L Ayathuray, at 012-3650021 or at 089-782020 Semporna Police Station or any nearby police station.