CHENNAI: Three trainee doctors from the Thoothukudi Government Medical College and Hospital (TKGMCH) lost their lives, while two others were seriously injured, after their car skidded and crashed on South Beach Road in Thoothukudi, on Wednesday.

The deceased have been identified as S Sarooban (23) of Coimbatore, P Rahul Jebastian (23) of Pudukottai, and S Mukilan (23) of Tirupattur.

All three were pursuing their medical training at TKGMCH.

The injured, R Kiruthikkukmar (23) of Thoothukudi and Saran (23) of Tirupattur, are undergoing treatment in the hospital.

According to the police, the accident took place around dawn when the group of five, travelling in a sedan driven by Sarooban, was heading along the rain-drenched South Beach Road.

Preliminary investigations suggest that the car was moving at high speed when it skidded on the slippery surface. The driver reportedly lost control while negotiating a curve near a barricade, causing the vehicle to veer off the road and crash violently into a roadside tree.

Passers-by alerted the Thoothukudi South Police and Fire and Rescue Services personnel, who rushed to the spot and began rescue operations.

The impact of the collision had severely damaged the vehicle, and officers had to carefully extract the injured from the mangled car.

Satnam and Rahul Jebastian were declared dead on the spot. Mukilan, who was critically injured, was immediately shifted to TKGMCH along with the two survivors.

However, doctors said he suffered a sudden cardiac arrest within minutes of arrival and could not be revived despite emergency efforts.

Kiruthikkukmar and Saran, both sustaining multiple injuries, are currently being treated in the Intensive Care Unit.

Hospital sources described their condition as serious but stable.

The Thoothukudi South Police have registered a case and initiated further investigations.