MELAKA: Seven people were killed when their multipurpose vehicle (MPV) was involved in a collision with five vehicles, including a trailer and a tour bus, at KM204 of the northbound PLUS Highway on Monday (Dec 23).
The victims included MPV driver Khairul Izwan Mazupi, 32; his wife Fadzlenna Ramli, 32; their youngest son Muhammad Umar Khairul Ikhwan, 2; Fadzlenna's father Ramli Ab Wahab, 66 and an unidentified passenger; the tour bus driver Noorisnien Khamid, 56; and an unidentified bus passenger.
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Alor Gajah OCPD Supt Ashari Abu Samah told Sinar Harian that initial investigations revealed a lorry and a tour bus, which carried 27 passengers, were traveling southbound, while the MPV, a trailer, and a sedan were heading north.
He explained that at the scene, the right front tyre of the lorry driven by a 31-year-old man had come off and was in the middle lane.
The tour bus hit the tyre, lost control, and veered into the opposite lane.
"As the bus veered into the opposite lane, it collided with a trailer driven by a 27-year-old man accompanied by a 16-year-old passenger.
"The collision caused the trailer to veer into the left lane, hitting the road barrier before colliding with the sedan and the MPV," he said in a statement on Tuesday (Dec 24).
As a result, all five MPV occupants were pronounced dead at the scene, while injured victims were rushed to hospitals in Melaka and Alor Gajah for further treatment.
Two other children of the couple, Nur Sofea Humaira Khairul Ikhwan, 4, and Muhammad Uwais Al-Qarni Khairul Ikhwan, 7, were treated in the yellow and red zones at Hospital Melaka, respectively.
The case is being investigated under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987.
Earlier, it was reported that seven people, including a two-year-old, were killed in the accident involving a tour bus, a trailer carrying bales of bundled clothing, and a MPV carrying eight family members.
Melaka Fire and Rescue Department Director Mohd Pisar Aziz stated that the deceased included five of the eight MPV passengers: two women, two men, and a baby, while three passengers were injured.
