MERSING, MALAYSIA: A Rela member sleeping in a tent at the beach in Pulau Besar was killed when a coconut tree came crashing down during a thunderstorm here yesterday morning.

Jasni Ahmad, 45, died of serious head injuries. Fellow Rela member Jamil Abu Bakar, who was sleeping in the tent with him, said the tent was set up 150m from some coconut trees.

"We did not want coconuts to fall on us. Instead a coconut tree fell on us," said Jamil, 57, at Mersing Hospital yesterday.

He said they were there as part of a security team, sent to oversee the safety a filming crew working on the site.