Two women and two children were killed in a road accident on Monday evening in Kratie province when a minivan crashed into a rice tractor in Chitr Borei district’s Changkrorng commune.

Changkrorng commune police chief Ros Bunthoeun on Tuesday identified the dead women as Chuob Khoern, 47, and Chhay Ren, 40, while the two boys killed were named as 14-year-old and 10-year-old brothers Tech Thea and Tech Thearith.

The deceased all lived in Changkrorng commune’s Changkrorng village, he added. The driver of the rice tractor, Pech Chenda, 20, and his 12-year-old brother Pech Thary, were seriously injured and rushed to Kratie Provincial Hospital, as were two teenage girls, Phat Srey Leap, 15, and Chhea Mimy, 16, who were passengers in the minivan.

“Some of the seriously injured broke arms and legs, while others suffered internal injuries when the minivan crashed into the tractor, Bunthoeun said, adding that the minivan driver fled the scene.

The driver’s assistant, identified as Veng Chhorn from Prey Veng province, was also seriously injured and taken to Kratie Provincial Hospital.

Witnesses said that they saw an old SsangYong minivan driving behind a rice tractor in the same direction, north to the south, Bunthoeun said. The minivan, likely speeding, then smashed into the rice tractor from behind.

The bodies of the deceased have been returned to their families.

The tractor and the SsangYong minivan were impounded at Chitr Borei District police station as evidence after police inspected the scene of the crash.