style="text-transform: uppercase;">Kota Kinabalu: Seven people, including three PBS Youth exco members, were killed in three separate accidents in Keningau, Kota Marudu and Kudat on Saturday night.The three were identified as PBS Youth exco member Andrew Wong Wan Siang, 43, PBS State Deputy Youth Chief Peter Tan Chee Vui @ Peter Chin, 44, and PBS State Youth Secretary Dolsin Bin Merindang, 42.

Keningau Police Chief DSP Douglas Nyeging Taong said preliminary investigations showed they were travelling in a Honda CRV vehicle and heading towards Keningau after attending a meet-the-people session organised by PBS Youth in Kg Lalagubon Pamilan in Tenom.

It was learnt that they lost control of the vehicle at a downhill bend along Km 22, Jalan Keningau-Tenom before it skidded and plunged 12 metres into a river in Kg Senagang in Keningau at 11.20pm.

The impact caused all three to sustain severe injuries, killing them on the spot.

Personnel from the Keningau Fire and Rescue Department led by its Chief Janil Jaya rushed to the scene after being alerted.

PBS Supreme Council member Chin Teck Ming said he arrived in Keningau at about 10am after being informed of the incident at about 7am on Sunday.

Chin, who described them as committed, dedicated and loyal, said their untimely death was a big loss to the party.

"Our deepest condolences to their families in this time of grief," he said, adding that their bodies have been sent for burial in Beaufort, Pitas and Kota Kinabalu, respectively.

It was learnt that Andrew Wong, addressed at Taman Layang-Layang in Luyang, here, leaves behind a wife and four daughters, the youngest of which is 12 years, while Peter Chin, addressed at Taman Mutiara in Luyang, here, leaves behind a wife, four daughters and a son, the youngest of which is eight years.

Meanwhile, in Kota Marudu, three family members were killed when the motorcycle they were on caught fire after colliding with a pick-up truck in Jalan Kampung Tanah Merah, Kota Marudu, at about 8.20pm.

Kota Marudu District Police chief Supt Mohd Isa Yusof said the Jafry Maun, 27, was burnt to death while his wife Lily Marni Gilong, 24, and son Freedy Jafry, two, died at the scene.

Mohd Isa said the pick-up truck, which was travelling from Kudat to Kota Marudu, was believed to have lost control before entering the opposite lane and hitting the motorcycle.

The 47-year-old driver was not injured, but was arrested for allegedly driving while intoxicated, he said.

In the other accident which occurred in Kudat, a 50-year-old self-employed man was killed and three people were seriously injured in a three-vehicle collision at Km 30.3 along Jalan Kudat-Kota Kinabalu at about 10.30pm.

The vehicles involved a Kancil driven by the man who was with his 19-year-old son, a Honda CRV driven by a 45-year-old Customs officer based in Kota Kinabalu and a Viva driven by a 38-year-old man who was with five passengers.

Kudat Police Chief Supt Dawi Ossen identified the local Brunei man as Musa Bin Abu Bakat, addressed at Kg Tambun, Kota Marudu.

Police received a call alerting them of the accident at Jalan Kg Parapat Darat involving the three vehicles.

He said preliminary investigations showed the Honda vehicle which came from the Kudat direction collided with the Kancil and Viva which was heading towards Kudat from Kota Kinabalu on the opposite lane. The impact caused the Kancil driver to die on the spot while his son sustained serious injuries.

Three passengers on the Viva, a 44-year-old woman and two siblings, aged 24 and 29, also sustained serious injuries, while two other siblings who were also passengers on the Viva, aged 21 and 28, sustained slight injuries.

The Viva and Honda drivers escaped with only slight injuries and all the injured were rushed to the Kudat Hospital.