BINTULU: A man was killed when the sports utility vehicle (SUV) he was driving plunged off the Bintulu-Miri Coastal Road early Monday (July 12) morning.
State Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department chief, Superintendent (Supt) Alexson Naga Chabu, said the accident happened when the victim identified as S. Ganapathy A/L Sundaraj, 50, was on his way to Bintulu town from Samalaju.
Preliminary investigations showed that the seven-seater SUV vehicle suddenly went out of control before skidding and plunging off the road into a ravine.
“He was the sole occupant of the vehicle,” said Alexson.
A team of Bintulu firemen was deployed to the scene, located not far from the Petronas Sabah-Sarawak Gas Pipeline (SSPG) around 7.01am, in response to an alert to help rescue the trapped victim.
The firemen arrived at the scene to find the SUV had landed on its side inside the ravine.
Using rescue tools, the team eventually managed to extricate the victim from the wrecked vehicle.
However, he was pronounced dead at the scene by medical health workers.
S. Ganapathy’s body was handed over to the police for further action.
The operations ended at 8.52am.
The case will be investigated under Section 41 (1) of the Road Transport Act 1987.
