KUALA KRAI: Two men were killed in separate accidents involving heavy machinery here on Saturday (May 31) evening, said Kuala Krai district police chief Supt Mazlan Mamat.
Supt Mazlan said in the first incident at about 2.50pm, a Thai national, aged 49, was killed after the backhoe he was driving fell off a cliff in the Ladang Dabong area, near KM27 of Jalan Sungai Sam-Dabong.
"At the time of the accident, the victim was driving the backhoe to take a break and was passing through a hilly area.
"The backhoe skidded and fell off the cliff, causing the victim to be thrown out and subsequently crushed by the vehicle. He was pronounced dead at the scene," Mazlin said in a statement.
He said the accident is believed to have happened after the driver failed to control the vehicle, causing it to fall off the cliff.
Meanwhile, in another accident at about 3.30pm, a 59-year-old man was killed in Ladang Bonanza, Laloh after a bulldozer he was driving fell down a ravine.
"Initial investigations found that the victim was working in the plantation and operating the bulldozer to make terraces.
"While doing terrace work, the bulldozer slipped off its path and fell into a ravine about 100m deep," he said.
He also said the victim who was trapped in the machine was pronounced dead at the scene, and the accident is believed to have been caused after the victim lost control of the bulldozer.
"The bodies of both victims were sent to the Sultan Ismail Petra Hospital’s forensics unit for post-mortems, and the cases are being investigated under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987," he added.
The police are urging anyone with information regarding the accidents to come forward and provide information to the Traffic Police Station at the Kuala Krai district police headquarters (IPD) or contact the Investigating Officer, Insp Mohamad Amirul Izham Azlan at 09-9666222. - Bernama
