DUNGUN: A teenager was killed and four of his friends injured, when they were involved in an accident at Kilometer 363 of the East Coast Highway (LPT2) near the Bukit Besi Toll Plaza exit, last night.
The deceased, identified as Iqbal Jus Aidil Zaims Sharief, 19, from Binjai Rendah, Marang, was confirmed dead at the Dungun Hospital at about 1am.
Muhammad Hannan Abdul Ghani, 19, was seriously injured, while Faris Rahimi Amran, 17; Haziq Izham Arif Rahimi, 19, and Muhammad Farhan Aqil Zainuddin, 18, sustained injuries in the accident which involved seven vehicles.
Dungun district police chief Superintendent Maizura Abdul Kadir, said police received a report about the incident at about 10.40pm.
She said all the victims were said to be traveling from Dungun to Marang on motorcycles.
"Initial police investigations found that upon arriving at the scene, the motorcycle ridden by Iqbal Jus Aidil was said to have lost control.
"At the same time, four other riders who were behind him tried to avoid him, skidding before colliding with two other cars."
All victims were rushed to Dungun Hospital for further treatment, but Iqbal Jus Aidil was confirmed dead upon arrival.
"The victim's body was taken to the Dungun Hospital's Forensic Unit for post-mortem examination and the case is being investigated in accordance with Section 41 (1) of the Road Transport Act 1987," she said.
Meanwhile, a friend of the victim who declined to be identified said before the incident the group of friends had dinner at a restaurant in Bandar Baru Kerteh.
"Our group known as Black Premier, has members from all over Terengganu and we gathered at Pantai Paka, Dungun at about 6pm.
"Our group consisting of 100 motorcycles traveled to Bandar Baru Kerteh for dinner and gathered at the Kerteh Toll Plaza at about 10pm for a photo session before each of the members left for home," he said.
He said he was surprised after receiving a call informing him that his friend had been involved in an accident.
"I thought it was only a minor accident and when I arrived at Dungun Hospital I was informed that Iqbal had died.
"I didn't think that when he happily invited us to take pictures as memories it was a sign that he would leave us forever," he said.