Buses carrying SEA Games squash players in accident

KUALA LUMPUR: Two buses carrying Myanmar, Philippines and Thai players for the SEA Games squash competition were involved in an accident on Monday morning.

"There were two buses. We were in the first bus together with the Thailand team while Myanmar was in the bus behind us.

"We also had a police escort and everything seemed fine until the second bus hit us strongly from behind," said Filipino team manager Abad Santos.

Some of the Myanmar players suffered minor slight injuries.

The buses were on their way from the players' hotel in Putrajaya to the National Squash Centre.

The morning matches of men and women's doubles have been temporarily suspended. Mixed doubles was initially scheduled to start at 2pm.

City Traffic Investigation and Legal Affairs staff officer Deputy Supt Shafie Daud said the incident occurred at around 7.50am near the Sungai Besi Toll Plaza heading towards the Kesas Highway.

“The bus had just picked up athletes from a hotel in Putrajaya and was heading to the Bukit Jalil Stadium,”he said when contacted.

He said the accident occurred when a motorcycle swerved in front of one of the busses causing it to brake abruptly.

“The other bus travelling behind it could not brake in time and rear ended the bus in front.

“The two buses were ferrying athletes from Thailand (13), Myanmar (10) and the Phillipines (five) during the minor collision,” he said adding that the athletes were transferred on a replacement bus and arrived safely at their venues.