10/10/10

MALACCA: All 12 victims of the horrific Simpang Ampat crash have been identified. Nine of the dead were Malaysians, while three were Myanmar nationals.

The accident occured along the North South Highway Sunday night, when an express bus crashed through the guard rails and ploughed into five vehicles.

The dead were identified by police with the help of distraught relatives, who began streaming to the Malacca Hospital's mortuary around 10pm Sunday.

Those who died were bus driver R. Ramachandra, 52, from Kampung Tengah, Klebang Besar; express bus passengers Muhammad Farizuddin Talib, 19 (Balai Panjang, Malim); Azizi Ajis, 19 (Kampung Gapis, Nyalas); Norazmi Abdul Karim, 24 (Kampung Pondok Kempas, Selandar); Sharene Sofia Fadzry Tan, 18 (Semabok Perdana); Nur Shafika Baba, 29 (Pokok Mangga here) and Eng Sok Kuan, 52, (Kuala Lumpur), and the three Myanmar men, Pau Khan Tual, 21, Kam Khaw Tual, 28, and Cin Thawa Tuang (age unknown).

Van driver Goo Chuan Heng, 34, from Taman Maju, Batu Pahat and motorist Pang Shi Moei, 57, (Taman Segar, Segamat) were the other victims.

Hospital authorities have assigned a special room for distraught family members to mourn their loss with volunteers from local Buddhist and Muslim organisations at hand to comfort bereaving families.

The 12 were killed when a north-bound express bus crashed through the guardrail and ploughed into five vehicles heading in the opposite direction at KM223.2 of the North South Expressway near Simpang Ampat here on Sunday.

Forty-five others were also injured in the 6.45pm accident, which occurred near the Negri Sembilan-Malacca border.

Witnesses said the express bus crashed into the rear of a car before the driver lost control of his vehicle and rammed through the guardrail and onto the path of an oncoming bus, two cars and a motorcycle.

The impact caused the express bus to flip onto its side. The bus driver and motorcyclist were among the casualties. The oncoming bus belonged to the Welfare Department.

I cannot believe this happen around Malacca..my hometown..out of so many i travel back and forth..Praise Jesus he's with me..and rest in peace to those who had died..Seems like triple 10 is not such a good luck day after all..wonder if those couple who got married on that day will be any lucky..