A tragic bus crash in northern Malaysia has claimed the lives of at least 15 people, most of them university students, in what authorities are calling the country’s deadliest road accident in more than a decade.
The incident occurred shortly after 1:00 a.m. local time on Monday along the East-West Highway near Gerik, Perak state. A bus carrying students from Sultan Idris Education University collided with a minivan, resulting in the deaths of 13 individuals at the scene and two more at the hospital, according to police and emergency services.
Perak State Police Chief Hisam Nordin stated that initial investigations suggest the bus lost control and struck the minivan from behind. “We are investigating whether the crash involved human negligence or a technical fault,” he said.
Disturbing images released by the fire and rescue department show the green bus overturned with severe rear-end damage, while the red minivan was found in a roadside ditch with shattered windows. Some passengers managed to escape on their own, while others were thrown from the vehicle or trapped inside. Rescue teams used hydraulic cutters to extricate the injured.
Emergency officials confirmed that 14 of the deceased were students aged between 21 and 23, while the 15th victim was a bus attendant. Thirty-three others sustained injuries, seven of whom are in critical condition.
Eyewitness accounts painted a harrowing picture of the aftermath. “It was a chaotic scene with students screaming and crying for help,” a witness identified only as Razali told the New Straits Times. “They were pinned between the wreckage.”
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy and directed the Ministry of Higher Education to provide support to the victims’ families. “Heartbreaking disasters like these should be a lesson to all to be careful and not to rush,” Anwar wrote in a Facebook post. “Your lives are too precious and can’t be replaced.”
Malaysia has long struggled with high road fatality rates, averaging 18 deaths per day, according to government data. The East-West Highway, which cuts through mountainous terrain near the Thai border, is notorious for accidents, often involving both vehicles and wildlife.
The worst bus tragedy in Malaysia’s history occurred in 2013 when an express bus plunged into a ravine near Kuala Lumpur, killing 37 people.
Written By Rodney Mbua
