THREE people, including two sisters, were killed in a horrific head-on collision on the Pan-Borneo Highway near the Maruk quarry on the Sri Aman-Engkilili stretch last night.

Four others were reported to be seriously injured in the collision between a Perodua Viva and a Proton Saga.

All the dead were from the smaller Perodua Viva.

The Fire and Rescue Department identified the dead as sisters Pauline and Elizabeth Jua of Mandau Lempaong longhouse in Betong and 22-year-old driver Carlos Nelson of Kampung Temudok in Sri Aman.

Pauline, 34, and Nelson died on the spot while the 33-year-old Elizabeth died while being treated at the nearest medical facility she was rushed to – the Engkilili health clinic.

The fourth person in the Perodua – 38-year-old Ling Unang of Rumah Serani – and the three men in the Proton Saga – two of whom are soldiers working at the army headquarters in Jalan Padang Tembak, Kuala Lumpur – were rushed to the Sri Aman hospital in critical condition.

The two soldiers have been identified as 24-year-old Mohammad Taufiq Hidayat Othman and 31-year-old Mohamad Noor Salam Abdul Jalil.

Their driver Aden Fabian is from Kampung Quop, at Mile 10 of the Jalan Kuching-Serian Road.

The Fire and Rescue Department said they had to use hydraulic rescue tools to remove the dead and injured from the mangled cars.

Traffic on the Pan Borneo highway is reported to be building up as Dayaks make their way home to their longhouse to be with their families for the Gawai Dayak rice harvest festival that falls on June 1. – May 26, 2023.