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Tuesday March 6, 2012

Indian tourists killed in crash after driver loses control of bus near Genting

By STEVEN DANIEL
stevend@thestar.com.my

GENTING HIGHLANDS: A holiday for 22 tourists from India turned tragic when the bus they were travelling in slammed into a road divider and was flung into the opposite lane, leaving two dead and many others seriously injured.

Passenger Anita Aggarwal, 59, died at the scene from serious head injuries while Rajendra Ku-mar Agurwal, 67, was pronounced dead upon arrival at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital. The two were not related.

It is learnt that the chartered bus ferrying passengers from Punjab had just left the Genting Highlands resort at about 8am yesterday and was on its way down when it suddenly went out of control.
The bus was believed to be heading to Kuala Lumpur before the next stop for the tourists in Singapore.



Big obstacle : The bus accident caused a bumper-to-bumper traffic jam yesterday. — SHAHRUL FAZRY ISMAIL /The Star

“The driver was negotiating a sharp corner at KM4.5 of the Genting-Karak Highway when we believe he lost control of the bus and smashed into the road divider,” said Bentong OCPD Supt Mohd Yusri Hassan Basri. “The impact caused the bus to be flung onto the opposite lane, before skidding to a stop in the middle of the road,” said.

It is learnt that the passengers were trapped inside because the bus roof had caved in. Some of the passengers managed to crawl out through the emergency hatch on the roof. The bus was lying on its side. The trapped passengers were only rescued after personnel from the Fire and Rescue Department arrived and cut parts of the bus frame.



Twisted metal: The impact of the accident damaged the roof of the bus beyond recognition.

Ambulances rushed them to the Kuala Lumpur, Bentong and Selayang hospitals for treatment. A rescue personnel said at least a dozen passengers suffered serious injuries with most of them having head and body injuries. “The crash was quite bad. Luckily, the roof did not collapse any lower, or it may have crushed and killed more people,” he said.

Initial police investigations suggest the bus might have been speeding before the crash. The wreckage will be sent to Puspakom for inspections to determine if the brakes had failed to work.



In pain: Rescue personnel helping a victim at the accident scene yesterday. — Bernama

At the time of the incident, it was sunny and the road was dry. Supt Mohd Yusri said the bus company had all the necessary documents and permits to ferry the tourists. He added that the bus driver and his assistant were being treated at the Semi-Critical Unit in Kuala Lumpur Hospital

As a result of the accident, the road heading to Genting was partially blocked for almost two hours.