Update 8.30pm Aug 21, 2013
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Thirty-seven people were killed in the country's worst road tragedy, after a bus carrying 53 plunged into a 60m ravine near Genting Highlands around 2.45pm Wednesday.
The dead included 24 males and 13 females. Sixteen people were injured in the incident.
The search and rescue operation was called off at 10pm.
According to Fire and Rescue Department deputy director-general Datuk Soiman Jahid, the dead included the driver of the bus.
It is believed that the driver had lost control of the bus, which then rammed a divider before plunging down the gorge.
Authorities noted that over half of the passengers were foreigners from China, Bangladesh and Thailand and that the bus had exceeded its maximum capacity of 44 passengers.
Some of the passengers were flung from the bus during the incident.
According to the police, more than half the passengers on the bus were foreigners, from China, Bangladesh and Thailand
The bus was also overloaded as its capacity was 44 passengers, authorities said.
Authorities noted that over half of the passengers were foreigners from China, Bangladesh and Thailand and that the bus had exceeded its maximum capacity of 44 passengers.
Survivors were sent to the Selayang and Kuala Lumpur hospitals within an hour of the accident.
Hospital Selayang
1. Raawnok Arefin, 14, (lelaki) dari Bangladesh.
2. Nur Syamimi Ja’afar, 25, (wanita), Malaysia.
3. Nur Fathiah Ja’afar, 21, (wanita) – Malaysia.
4. Rashidah Buyah, 50, (wanita) dari Bangladesh.
5. Andri Purwaidi, 25, (wanita) dari Indonesia.
6. Nurul Quraitul Aini, 19, (wanita) Malaysia
7. Rezyan Arefin, 24, (lelaki) dari Bangladesh
8. Nur Fridil Gusman, 23, (lelaki) dari Indonesia.
2. Nur Syamimi Ja’afar, 25, (wanita), Malaysia.
3. Nur Fathiah Ja’afar, 21, (wanita) – Malaysia.
4. Rashidah Buyah, 50, (wanita) dari Bangladesh.
5. Andri Purwaidi, 25, (wanita) dari Indonesia.
6. Nurul Quraitul Aini, 19, (wanita) Malaysia
7. Rezyan Arefin, 24, (lelaki) dari Bangladesh
8. Nur Fridil Gusman, 23, (lelaki) dari Indonesia.
Hospital Kuala Lumpur
1. Wong Teraphong, 63, lelaki, Thai
2. Saidah, 19, wanita, Malaysia
3. Razif, 26, lelaki, Malaysia
4. S.E Ali Haider son of Shyed Haider, 46, lelaki, Bangladesh
5. Tan Min Shing, 26, lelaki, Malaysia
2. Saidah, 19, wanita, Malaysia
3. Razif, 26, lelaki, Malaysia
4. S.E Ali Haider son of Shyed Haider, 46, lelaki, Bangladesh
5. Tan Min Shing, 26, lelaki, Malaysia
The passengers are believed to be local and foreign tourists.
Rescuers told the NST that the trees and undergrowth had slowed down the momentum of the bus as it rolled down the ravine.
Emergency and rescue personnel brought in a crane and jerry-rigged a bucket recovery system to haul up the survivors and the dead.
The task is labourous as only two people can be hauled up at a time.
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Rescue personnel from various agencies were dispatched from Bentong, Kuala Lumpur and Kuantan.
Meanwhile, Bernama quoted Kuala Lumpur Hospital (HKL) Emergency and Trauma Department head Datuk Seri Dr Abu Hassan Ashaari saying that five bodies had been sent to the hospital by 6.28pm.
Other hospitals the victims were sent to were the Sungai Buloh Hospital, Selayang Hospital and the Bentong Hospital.
He said the victims were aged between 19 and 50 years.
The accident occurred at KM36 of the Genting-Kuala Lumpur road, some two kilometres from the Chin Swee Caves Temple, as the bus carrying 49 passengers was coming down from Genting Highlands and heading towards Kuala Lumpur.
Meanwhile, Pahang Sultan Ahmad Shah and Bentong MP Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai are at the scene and were briefed by authorities.
Source Star and NST
