Three Children Dead, One Critical After Car Plunges Into River

LAWAS, Oct 18 (Bernama) -- Three children died and one other remains in critical condition after a Perodua Alza they were in plunged into a river in Kampung Awat-Awat, Jalan Awat-Awat, Sundar this afternoon.

A Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department operations centre spokesman said Mohamad Nazran Awang Matasan,10, Mohd Fayard Mohd Azmi, five, and Eryna Akifa Imani Zukri, eight, were confirmed dead at Lawas Hospital, while Madieenatul Munawarah Mohd Azmi, nine remained in critical condition after being rushed to Miri Hospital.

“There were 10 people onboard the vehicle, the male driver, 38, his five-year-old child, and eight SK Agama (MIS) Lawas pupils.

“Six of them managed to save themselves after the driver managed to open the vehicle’s backdoor while three others, who were trapped in the vehicle, were rescued by bystanders and sent to the Sundar Health Clinic in Lawas,” he said in a statement here today.

He added that the department received a call about the incident at 1.15 pm and a team of seven firefighters from the Lawas Fire and Rescue Station was dispatched to the location.

Meanwhile, the driver of the Perodua Alza has been arrested after preliminary investigations at the scene of the incident revealed that he had lost control of the vehicle as it was headed from Sundar Town towards Kampung Awat-Awat Sundar, causing the vehicle to skid to the left of the road before plunging into the mangrove swamp.

Lawas district police chief Liong Tindan said the man, who is a fisherman, was being investigated under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987 for causing death by reckless or dangerous driving.

-- BERNAMA