An outing to a Kuala Terengganu beach for five trainee nurses turned tragic when three of them died in an early morning accident yesterday.
They were on their way back to their hostel at the Science and Technology Islamic College Bachok, in Kelantan, when the car they were in collided with a tanker. The incident occurred at about 6am near Kampung Gerai here.
The dead were driver Nordiana Mohd Nor, 22, from Kota Tinggi, Johor, as well as Zul Irah Zakaria and Nurul Shahidah Abdul Jaabar, both 19, from Kuala Terengganu.
Bazillah Abdullah and Nur Adilah Mohd Ghazali, both 19, suffered multiple injuries.
They have been sent to Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia in Kubang Kerian for treatment.
The five friends left for Kuala Terengganu Wednesday night “to unwind after being disturbed by an unknown man”.
Their friend Nik Sharmila Nik Amran, 21, said the nurses were stressed up after an intruder, armed with a knife, tried to break into their hostel a few days earlier.
“The intruder failed to gain entry, but my friends were quite shook up.
“So, they decided to go to the beach in Kuala Terengganu to recover from the trauma,” she said yesterday. “But then, this tragedy had to happen.”
Nik Sharmila said life at the college would never be the same without her three friends.
“I am deeply saddened. I hope my other friends will recover fully,” she added.
Besut deputy OCPD Deputy Supt Noor Zainy Mohd Nor said the incident occurred when Nordiana tried to overtake a vehicle and crashed into an oncoming tanker.
“Nordiana was trapped in her seat while Zul Irah, who was in the front passenger seat, was thrown about five metres from the vehicle.
“Nurul Shahidah died on arrival at the Hospital Besut,” he said, adding that the driver of the oil tanker only sustained minor injuries.
