Three young men died and two were injured when their car hit a power pole and slammed into a tree late on Saturday night, outside Tonga's Huatolitoli Prison.

The accident, which happened during an overtaking move on the main highway, was Tonga's first fatal road accident for 2004.

Deputy Commander for Police, Taniela Faletau, said the tragedy occurred near midnight on March 27. The victims' car was heading east on Taufa'ahau Road when it overtook a vehicle, which had been travelling in the same direction. The vehicle being overtaken had come to a halt to make a right turn into the neighboring residential homes of the prison.

Taniela said the victims' car collided with the other car causing the victims' car to swerve to the left side of the road, and onto the verge outside the Tinopai Farm, where it hit a wooden power pole and then a tree. The force of the impact uprooted the tree.

Three young men aged between 19 years and 24 years died instantly, and two survivors were rushed to Vaiola Hospital.

He said that the deceased were from Lapaha and Holonga. The two recovering at the Hospital are a 20-year-old from Lapaha and a 24-year-old from Holonga.

Tonga recorded 20 road fatalities for 2003, said Faletau, with six of those deaths recorded up to the end of March last year.