BEAUFORT: Two men succumbed to their injuries in a head-on collision that involved a Proton Wira and a Toyota Harrier along Membakut/Palu Palu Road, near Kampung Brunei, here on Friday.
Chia Chi Kong, 60, from Taman Sinar, Papar, the driver of the Toyota Harrier, succumbed to serious injuries at the Beaufort Hospital about three hours after the 9.50am incident.
The second victim, identified as Said Mokti, 55, from Kampung Pimping, Membakut and driver of the Proton Wira car, died about 12 hours later while being treated at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) in Kota Kinabalu.
Initial police investigation showed that the Proton Wira car was heading to Kuala Penyu from Membakut while the Toyota Harrier was coming from the opposite direction.
Both vehicles, however, collided head-on and ended inside a drain along the road.
Both victims were taken to hospital for treatment but Chia was pronounced dead around 1.30pm, while Said succumbed to his injuries around 10pm after being transferred to the QEH.
Meanwhile, district police chief DSP Mustaffa Maarof Mustaffa said the case would be investigated under Section 41 (1) of the Road Transport Act 1987.
Mustaffa urged eyewitness to come forward to assist police in their investigation.