12-3-2024 (KUALA LUMPUR) A somber pall hangs over the Malaysian town of Semporna, Sabah, following a devastating collision between a tour van carrying foreign tourists and a lorry on Monday afternoon. The tragic accident claimed the lives of a 60-year-old Singaporean man and a 40-year-old Vietnamese national, leaving the local community and visiting groups in shock and mourning.
The incident unfolded on the roads of Semporna, a picturesque coastal town renowned for its stunning islands and dive sites. According to Sabah Mazlan Sarman, the chief of the Semporna Fire and Rescue Station, the tour van collided with a lorry before skidding off the road and crashing into the roadside.
Mazlan confirmed that a medical officer from the Ministry of Health pronounced the Singaporean man and the Vietnamese national dead at the scene, their lives tragically cut short in the midst of what was meant to be a memorable travel experience.
In addition to the two fatalities, the accident left several others seriously injured. Among the critically wounded were the 42-year-old Malaysian tour van driver and two Singaporean tourists aged 67 and 71. Two other Singaporeans, an 11-year-old girl and a 58-year-old man, sustained minor injuries. All injured victims were swiftly transported to nearby hospitals for urgent medical treatment.
The 25-year-old lorry driver, miraculously, escaped the collision unharmed, though the emotional trauma of such an incident is likely to linger.
Mazlan Sarman praised the rapid response of his team, stating that the fire station received the alert at 4:03 pm, and within minutes, five officers and firefighters, equipped with two machines, were dispatched to the accident site, located 20 kilometers away. Despite their best efforts, the severity of the collision proved fatal for the Singaporean and Vietnamese victims.
The Semporna Fire and Rescue Station chief confirmed that the operation concluded at 5:32 pm, with the scene secured and the injured transported to nearby medical facilities.
