*Note: this story has been updated to include a video of a drag racing incident which one of the deceased posted on Facebook, on Thursday night.
DURBAN: Three Newlands youngsters were killed in a car crash during the early hours of Friday while driving on Chris Hani (North Coast) Road.
It is alleged they were involved in an illegal drag race at the time.
Brothers Mubeen, 23, and Moazzam Alli ,25, and Mika Moodley, 16, were killed when the red Golf GTI they were driving crashed into a stationary heavy duty vehicle. A fourth passenger is fighting for his life in hospital.
On social media, a debate brewed over whether they were drag racing or not as the stretch of road is a known hotspot for drag racers.
Video: A video posted on Facebook by one of the deceased, Moazzam Alli on Facebook on Friday night
One Facebook user, Adam Van Staden, commented:
“Illegal street racing, 99% sure. I can hear them from my house at that time of the morning racing up and down North Coast Road”.
Brothers Mubeen and Moazzam Alli
Christopher Emmanuel Nair commented:
“This is sad. This is an ongoing issue where young people are dying like this in Durban. Every few weeks or month we hear news like this. When are drivers going to learn from these incidents? Now it's too late. The loved ones suffer the most.”
Crisis Medical who responded to the incident, said in a statement that they were called to the scene for a serious motor vehicle collision.
“A Volkswagen Golf GTI had collided into the rear of a heavy duty vehicle. Advanced life support intervention was needed to stabilize the patient before they could be taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital for further care. The cause of collision is unknown and will form subject of a SAPS investigation,” their statement read.
Meanwhile, condolences poured in on social media following the deaths.
Mika Moodley was killed in the crash
Calvin Padayachee commented:
“It does not matter how rich or poor you are. The most horrible thing in the world is for a parent to bury their child. My condolences to those parents”.
Another Facebook user, Farzana Khan, shared a picture of the brothers and said:
“Death is something which is so uncertain. At one point, we can all be together and the next, we can all be gone. As we all grew up in front of each other, it hurts to know there isn’t going to be a next time we see each other.”
Police spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Thulani Zwane said a case of culpable homicide was opened at the Greenwood Park Police Station. He said no arrests have been made.
The brothers were laid to rest yesterday.