Mansfield crash: Four men tragically killed in horror rental car smash revealed to be seasonal workers from the Pacific Islands – as cops shed light on what may have caused the Kia to lose control

Four men killed in a fiery single-vehicle crash next to a country road have been identified as seasonal farm workers from the Pacific Islands.

David Gasologa, Alesana Anitelea, Aperaamo Tapelu Filemu Aleka and Darrick Amouta Peleti were killed early on Sunday when their Kia Carnival burst into flames after hitting a tree in the Piries region, near Mansfield in north-west Victoria.

Police said the four men were returning to Mansfield, where they were employed by arable farmer Murphy Fresh, from a friend’s house in nearby Macs Cove and may have been drinking.

The rented vehicle was burned next to the road in Victoria’s High Country on Sunday morning (pictured)

“We believe they drank alcohol, got back in the car and drove back to the house where they live and the collision occurred,” Glenn Weir, assistant commissioner of the Road Policing Command, told Melbourne radio station 3AW .

Emergency services were called to Mansfield-Woods Point Road by a motorist at around 7.45am to reports of a car on fire.

The driver is believed to have lost control of the vehicle and left the road before crashing into a tree and bursting into flames.

One of the residents, Samoan David Gasologa, had only recently become engaged.

His sister told Nine News the family, where he was just the boy of nine children, was devastated.

“He was very humble and he was everyone’s favorite,” she said.

“He is greatly missed.”

Alesana Anitelea, also from Samoa, had only been in Australia for four months.

Mr Anitelea’s sister-in-law, Ameliah Iosefo Faumui, who lives in Sydney, paid tribute to him.

Alesana Anetelea, who had only been in Australia for four months, died in the tragedy

Darrick Amouta, who worked as a seasonal agricultural worker, was the victim of an accident

Aperaamo ‘Amo’ Tapelu Filemu Aleka was the other man in the vehicle, which is believed to be returning to the town of Mansfield

“Thank you for everything you have done for my family. We love you and we will always remember you in our hearts,” she said.

“Rest in love, dearest brother, Alesana.”

Commissioner Weir described the accident scene as ‘confronting’ for passers-by who were first on the scene and found both the car and the victims.

“A terrible, terrible thing for that (passer-by) to see and of course for the volunteers and the CFA and the locals who go there, that’s a very confronting scene for them as well,” he said.

Police assume that the driver lost control of the vehicle shortly before the crash, causing a fire to break out, killing all occupants (photo, police on scene)

There are growing concerns over the high number of fatalities on Victoria’s roads this year, prompting police to call an emergency meeting with government authorities.

With 258 deaths on Victorian roads already by 2023, the toll has passed last year’s figure of 240.

Commissioner Weir said drivers need to be more safety conscious.

“We’re seeing a number of people choosing to do something that they think is a small decision, something they shouldn’t do, and that has really catastrophic consequences,” he said.