MUAR, Malaysia – An express bus crashed in Muar, Johor, causing the death of 14 passengers at about 3.45am this morning (24 Dec).
The Malay Mail Online reported that district police chief, Assistant Commissioner Azman Ayob, said the initial investigations revealed the accident had not involved other vehicles.
Leading towards the edge of the cliff over which the bus plunged the police found skid marks on the road left by the bus’ tyres trailing some 150 metres along the left side of the expressway.
The Aliran Golden Coach Express bus jumped down into a 6 metre-deep ravine beside the stretch, suggested that it was driven at high speed.
“Initial checks show there are no brake marks, based on the uninterrupted 150 metre-long skid mark found on the expressway, which indicates there was no attempt by the driver to slow down,” Azman said.
Azman informed that the bus, which was en route to Kuala Lumpur’s Bandar Tasik Selatan Integrated Bus Terminal, had departed last night from JB Sentral, Johor Baru, at about midnight.
The deceased comprise six men, seven women, and a female toddler, who all sat at the front rows.
Azman further said another seven Malaysian men, five Singaporean men, two Myanmar men, one Singaporean woman and another female victim whose identity is not yet known, were injured but survived the crash.
“The impact of the crash was greatest when the bus hit the concrete wall of the Kampung Jayo tunnel,” he said, indicating to a structure at the ravine.
Azman said police are still trying to get hold of the bus operator who had run away.
All of the victims, including the 14 who died in the incident, were taken to the Sultanah Fatimah Specialist hospital, the Malay Mail Online wrote.
The Jabatan Bomba & Penyelamat Malaysia (JBPM: Fire & Rescue Department of Malaysia) posted the accident’s photos on its Facebook.
