KINGSTOWN, St Vincent (CMC) – Five people were killed and several others injured when the vehicle in which they were travelling overturned in Sandy Bay, St Vincent, on Sunday afternoon, medical officials have confirmed.

Parliamentary representative for the area, Nigel “Nature” Stephenson told the Searchlight newspaper that the Community of Clare Valley was in shock and mourning. He said those killed were all males under the age of 40.

“The community is in shock and mourning. Clare Valley is a very small community and most of the people there are related to each other,” Stephenson told the newspaper late on Sunday night. He is encouraging his constituents to “be strong” and promised to do whatever he can to help them through this difficult time.

The authorities have identified those killed as Giovanni Barker, Ishmael Bruce, Elvis Harold, Collin Robin and Kenroy Haywood/Phillips. Meanwhile, nine persons were transported to the Modern Medical and Diagnostic Centre (MMDC) at Georgetown .

Witnesses also said that several people were pinned inside and under the vehicle and that others had been taken in private vehicles to hospital for treatment. Some of these critical patients have since been transported to the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital in Kingstown,

The vehicle was said to be transporting persons to Owia for a funeral of murder victim Rohan “Charla” Rawlins, 43, who was shot and killed in Lowmans Bay on the outskirts of the capital on August 15.

In January 2015, seven students died when the bus in which they were travelling careened off the road in Rock Gutter, another area in north Windward, and ended up in the sea.