Two males and one female passenger were killed when the driver of the truck, one of the male victims, lost control of the truck and crashed into the mountainside.

The 34 tonnes of coiled metal cargo flew off the truck on impact, ripping the cabin from the truck.

The impact was so severe that the truck’s engine was found laying metres from the dislodged cabin.

The bodies of the three victims were found trapped underneath the bulk of the coils, which had to be hydraulically lifted with the help of Van Wettens Towing Services, to allow pathology services access to the mutilated bodies.

The truck is owned by a Newcastle businessman.

The victims of the accident had however not been formally identified a