KOTA KINABALU, May 25 — Three men were killed after two boats collided in the waters off Pulau Gaya at 11.40pm last night.

Kota Kinabalu district police chief ACP Habibi Majinji said paramedics confirmed the three victims aged 15 to 20 years have died when they were taken to the Suria Sabah Jetty.

He said the incident occurred when the boat ferrying the victims together with seven other passengers from Kampung Pondo to Safma Jetty was hit by another boat which was on its way to Kampung Pondo from the Fish market Jetty.

He said as it was very dark, the operator of the second boat was not aware of the presence of the passenger boat.

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“By the time he realised it, there was nothing he could do to avoid the collision and both boats capsized,” he said in a statement. 

Habibi said the rest of the passengers were later sent to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (HQE) by public boat operators present at the scene.

“The bodies of the victims were also sent to HQE for post mortem and police have arrested a 56-year-old suspect to facilitate investigations,” he added.

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The case is being investigated under Section 304A of the Penal Code. — Bernama