A fatal crash left a car sandwiched between two trucks in Gia Lai Province, located in Vietnam’s Central Highlands region on Saturday afternoon, leaving three members of Hoang Anh Gia Lai Football Club dead on the spot and the car driver badly injured, confirmed a local transport official the same day.

The deceased were identified as Brazilian forward Paollo Madeira Oliveira, assistant coach Duong Minh Ninh, and healthcare specialist Dao Trong Tri.

The car driver was rushed to a nearby hospital due to severe injuries.

The deadly collision occurred at 2:20 pm on the section of Ho Chi Minh Highway passing through Ia Hru Commune, Chu Puh District, some 80km from the provincial city of Pleiku, said Ha Anh Thai, deputy director of the provincial Transport Department.

At the scene of the accident, the car of the football club, based in Pleiku, was completely crushed as it was sandwiched between the two larger trucks.

Rescue operations are underway at the site, adding that police launched an investigation to determine the cause of the fatal crash.

The fatal accident occurred when these football club members were returning to Pleiku after finishing a football match on Friday evening.

Hoang Anh Gia Lai lost 0-1 to Song Lam Nghe An, based in the north-central province of Nghe An, in the final round of the V-League 2023.

Tran Quoc Tuan, president of the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF), told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that VFF leaders and representatives of Vietnam Professional Football JSC (VPF) will go to Gia Lai to offer support and condolences to the bereaved families.

This is the most horrific accident that has happened to a Vietnamese football club in recent years.

The car was severely damaged in the crash. Photo: Le Hoa / Tuoi Tre

The scene of the fatal crash. Photo: Le Hoa / Tuoi Tre

The car was severely damaged in the crash. Photo: Le Hoa / Tuoi Tre

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