3 doctors dead

Kota Kinabalu: Four people, including three government doctors, were killed while 18 passengers suffered injuries when a luxury sports car and a bus collided near a traffic light in Tanjung Aru, early Saturday.

Dr Prem Sastigan a/l Ganadas from Johor, 26, Dr Wong Wai Choong (Kuala Lumpur), 28, Dr P Bavani a/p Phary (Terengganu), 26, and Jemalyn Alvarez, 32, a Filipina bus passenger, died on the spot in the 12am tragedy.

A fourth doctor, Jaya Lakshmi, 25, from Kuala Lumpur, survived with serious injuries. The bodies of Prem, Bavani and Choong were claimed by families and relatives.

All the doctors were serving in the Likas Hospital, here. City Police Chief, ACP Ahmad Sofi Zakaria, said the four doctors aged between 26 and 28 were heading to Tanjung Aru from the city in a BMW335i Convertible.

"The car, however, lost control and rammed into a bus in front of it, which was carrying 25 passengers. Three people travelling in the car died while their friend sustained serious injury.

"A woman bus passenger was also killed. Eighteen passengers suffered injuries and all victims were sent to hospital for treatment," he said, Saturday.

It was learnt that the bus was sending Port View Seafood Village workers home. Its General Manager, Joseph Lim, said the bus would normally send workers to Likas and Inanam.

According to Mariam, 45, a passenger, she heard a loud bang and realised that the bus had been hit.

The impact caused the bus to overturn and land on its side.

The BMW car turned turtle, trapping the four doctors inside.

A Fire and Rescue team managed to pull out all victims about 1.30am.