Three students, who are close friends, were killed when the vehicle they were travelling in skidded and crashed into a tree at Km 32 Jalan Yong Peng, Kluang early Wednesday.

Kluang District Police chief, ACP Mohamad Laham said the three victims - Muhammad Nabil Fahmi Bakhtiar, 17; Basrie Bunawan, 19 and Mohamad Nor Fitri Mohamad Sabtu, 19, - were believed to be on their way to Paloh from Kluang about 100 kms from here when the incident occured at 11am.

"Another of their friend, Nur Muhammad Amin Saiman, 17, who was also in the vehicle, sustained serious injuries and was being warded at the Kluang Hospital emergency ward," he said in a statement here, yesterday.

He said the accident was believed to have occurred when Muhamad Nabil, who was driving, lost control of the vehicle which skidded and crashed into a tree on the roadside in the opposite direction.

"Due to the impact, the vehicle broke into two and the engine was dislodged from the vehicle's body which got stuck on the tree trunk.

"All three victims were confirmed dead at the scene of the incident and their bodies have been brought to the hospital for post-mortem," he added.