MERSING: Three family members tragically died in a collision involving two vehicles at Kilometer 45, Jalan Kota Tinggi-Mersing, near the entrance to Arami Jaya Estate, at 8.30pm last night.
Mersing police chief Superintendent Abdul Razak Abdullah Sani said that the accident involved a Toyota Vios and a Proton Persona.
He added that the passengers of the Proton Persona, Md Yusuf Mukhtar, 71, and his wife, Rosnah Salleh, 65, died at the scene, while their son, who was also the driver of the vehicle, Muhamad Izuddin Md Yusof, 36, succumbed to his injuries at Mersing Hospital.
"Preliminary investigations revealed that the Toyota Vios was driven by a 28-year-old local man heading from Kuantan towards Johor Bahru.
"The Toyota Vios is believed to have lost control and entered the opposite lane before colliding with the Proton Persona coming from the direction of Kota Tinggi.
"As a result of the collision, the driver of the Toyota Vios sustained severe abdominal injuries and a broken right arm and is being treated at Sultan Ismail Hospital (HSI) in Johor Bahru.
"Two passengers in the Proton Persona, aged 65 and 71, were confirmed dead at the accident site due to severe head injuries.
"Their son, who was driving the Proton Persona, died at Mersing Hospital from severe head injuries," he said when contacted by Berita Harian today.
Razak added that a five-year-old girl, who was also in the Proton Persona, suffered head injuries and is being treated at HSI.
"The child is the driver's daughter and is reported to be stable.
"The bodies of the victims have been taken to Mersing Hospital for post-mortem, and the case is being investigated under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987," he said.
Twelve members of the Mersing Fire and Rescue Station responded swiftly to the accident, arriving at 8.42pm after receiving an emergency call at 8.03pm.
Operations commander Zainuddin Ahmad said that bystanders helped to extract the injured victims.