A 53-year-old man died when the car he was driving crashed into a coconut tree on a road travelling from Kahoua to Sia’atoutai on Sunday evening, February 27.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Tevita Vailea said today that the driver was confirmed to have passed away upon arrival at Vaiola Hospital.

A male passenger who was with him was in a stable condition at the hospital, he said.

“At around 4:50pm police responded to the report of the accident. What we have now is that the driver was heading from Kahoua when he served and crashed into the coconut tree,” he said.

Police were investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash.

The victim is from Makapaeo in the Liahona area on Tongatapu.

This was the first road death recorded for Tonga this year.