A passenger bus has plunged into a deep ravine while travelling downhill near a Malaysian highland resort, killing 33 people, an official said.
Sixteen people survived the accident, which occurred on a winding slope in central Genting Highlands, a popular destination that houses Malaysia's sole casino on Wednesday, said fire department official Azizan Ismail.
The bus, which fell about 60 metres into the ravine, was carrying mostly Malaysians and several tourists believed to be from the Middle East, Azizan said.
He said one body had been recovered from the bus, with 32 more bodies remaining inside the vehicle.
The bus was reported to have crashed at about 3pm today, some 2km from the Chin Swee Caves Temple on the popular getaway, en route to Kuala Lumpur.
The daily also reported that traffic had backed up on the narrow mountain road, to prioritise rescue personnel working to reach the scene of the fatal accident.
Bernama reported that Fire and Rescue Department and Civil Service department rescuers are using a crane to get down into the ravine and bring up the victims.
Two bodies had been reported taken to the mortuary at Kuala Lumpur Hospital. Their identities remain unknown.
Road fatalities involving express buses have been a recurrent issue in Malaysia.
Today’s crash may be the most deadly in recent years.
The record for the highest fatalities previously was December 20, 2010 when an express bus, also on its way down from Genting Highlands, hit a divider and overturned, killing 27 people onboard, including the driver.
A year before that, 10 people died on December 26, when the northbound bus they were in crashed into the guardrail at the Ipoh toll plaza.
Another 10 died on December 7, 2008 died when their express bus skidded and overturned in Pagoh, Johor.
Another incident with high fatalities happened on August 13, 2007 when 22 people, including the driver, died when the express bus they were traveling in crashed near the Bukit Gantang, Perak rest area on the North-South Expressway.
More recently, a teacher and three students were killed on November 11, 2011 when their chartered bus collided with a tanker while they were on their way up Genting Highlands from Kulim, Kedah.
Rescue operations are still ongoing.
Wednesday 21 August 2013
http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/express-bus-plunges-down-genting-ravine-15-feared-dead
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/breaking-news/killed-in-bus-accident-in-malaysia/story-fn3dxix6-1226701619862
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