A DRIVER has described his desperate attempts to warn a motorcyclist he was driving on the wrong side of the road moments before a fatal crash.

Rider Saulius Jokubauska, 48, and his passenger, Sergiu Proca, 22, were both killed in the head-on collision with a Ford transit late at night.

They had flown into Stansted Airport from eastern Europe just hours before and were travelling on a BMW motorbike towards a caravan park in Clacton at the time of the incident.

They had planned to return to Basildon the next day, where Mr Proca worked as a chef.

The crash happened along the B1027 in Great Bentley on March 13 and saw both Mr Jokubauska, of Kent, and Mr Proca, of Curling Tye, Basildon, pronounced dead at the scene.

Post-mortem examinations found the two men died as a result of multiple injuries.

An inquest into their deaths was told both the motorbike and van involved in the crash suffered extensive damage.

But forensic police investigator PC Alan Barlow told the coroner’s court no defects had been found on either vehicle which could have contributed to the tragedy.

The investigation found Mr Jokubauska had been travelling near to the kerbside on the wrong side of the road and collided with the oncoming transit on a corner.

PC Barlow said the driver of the transit did not have enough time to react and avoid the motorbike.

A statement provided by eyewitness Stuart Winder was read in court in which he described the moments just before the crash.

Mr Winder, who was following behind the motorcycle, said: “I was immediately aware that the bike was completely on the wrong side of the road. I could not believe what I was seeing.

“I followed the bike but backed off due to what was happening. I flashed them a couple of times to try and make them aware but it did not make any difference.”

He added: “I suddenly saw headlights coming towards the bike which was still on the wrong side of the road.

"Almost immediately after seeing the headlights, I could see the impact of the bike hitting the vehicle coming towards me.

"I did notice that almost at the last second the bike did seem to move towards the opposite verge but it did not avoid the impact.

"The impact of the crash was tremendously loud, like a bomb going off and dust and debris was flying everywhere.”

Lincoln Brookes, area coroner for Essex, ruled Mr Jokubauska and Mr Proca died as a result of a road traffic collision.

He said: “The rider momentarily forgot where he was and forgot he ought to ride on the left. He didn’t appreciate his error until it was far too late.”