ALOR GAJAH, June 21 — An excavator driver who began work on the first day was killed after he was crushed by the heavy machine in a farm in Jalan Solok Air Besar, Kampung Brisu here this evening.

Alor Gajah police chief Supt Arshad Abu said the victim, Mohamad Sabirin Umar, 29, was believed to be levelling a farmland at about 3.15pm.

He said the father of one suffered severe injuries on the head and died at the scene.

"The victim was found dead at the driver’s seat in the overturned vehicle with his head trapped in the machine’s roof.

"The driver had just started work as an excavator driver today after becoming unemployed this year,” he said in a statement here tonight.

He said the body of the victim was extricated by firemen from Alor Gajah and initial investigation found no criminal elements in the incident and the case was classified as sudden death.

He said the body was taken to Alor Gajah Hospital Forensic Unit for further examination and Covid-19 test before a post-mortem tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Melaka Fire and Rescue operations assistant director, Senior Superintendent II Muhammad Izwan Arief Mat Nor said the department received a distress call at 3.52pm before reaching the location about six minutes later with a fire engine and 10 fire fighters.

"Upon arriving at the scene, the victim was pronounced dead by a medical team and work to remove the victim took about 20 minutes,” he said. — Bernama