SEMPORNA, 13 January - A fatal accident involving three vehicles on Jalan Semporna-Tawau here yesterday took place when a car carrying the victims entered the opposite lane.

Semporna District Police Chief Supt Mohd Sabri Zainol said the car driven by a 34-year-old man, carrying six passengers aged between six months and 82 years, had veered into the opposite lane before colliding with a four-wheel drive vehicle and a multi-purpose vehicle (MPV).

The driver of the car was seriously injured, five passengers died at the scene of the accident and another died while receiving treatment at the Semporna Hospital emergency unit.

He said all six victims, three men and three women, were related to each other.

"The four-wheel drive vehicle was driven by a 31-year-old man while the MPV was driven by a 29-year-old man on the way from Semporna to Tawau, while the victims' car was heading from Tawau to Semporna," he said in a statement.

He said the case is being investigated under Section 41 (1) of the Road Transport Act 1987 and that the investigation is still ongoing.

Members of the public with information about the accident are requested to contact Semporna Police Headquarters (IPD) traffic investigation officer Inspector A Hemkkumar at 012-3650021 or 089-782020.