On August 7, 2026, a female driver aged 66 crashed a sports utility vehicle (SUV) into the glass door entrance of the departure hall at Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) between 4:20 and 4:55 pm [1, 2, 3, 4].
The impact shattered the glass doors and scattered fragments across the passenger walkway outside Terminal 1, Level 3 [1, 3, 4]. After breaking through the doors, the SUV collided with another vehicle and a building pillar, intensifying the damage [2].
The driver sustained minor injuries and was taken to hospital for treatment [1, 2, 3, 4]. No other visitors or airport staff were harmed in the incident [1, 3].
Authorities reported the crash occurred while the driver was switching drivers and failed to engage the 'P' (Park) gear, causing the vehicle to surge forward unexpectedly. Kota Kinabalu police chief ACP Shahrudin Mat Husain said, "The driver then panicked and accidentally stepped on the accelerator, causing the SUV to surge forward..." [2].
Airport operations were not disrupted. Other automatic doors remained functional, and the airport cleared the affected area by 6:00 pm, removing debris and the damaged vehicle [1]. Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Datuk Chan Foong Hin thanked KKIA management and staff for their "efficient and prompt action in handling this incident" [1].
The Royal Malaysia Police are continuing investigations into the cause [1, 2, 3]. Repair work on the damaged entrance is underway following the clearing of the site.
