Some UPSI crash victims only identifiable by clothing, says volunteer

New Straits Times

2 days ago

KUALA LUMPUR: Some Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) students who perished in the Gerik bus crash on Monday were so badly injured that their remains could only be identified by their clothing, according to a volunteer who assisted in the post-tragedy response.
Pertubuhan Amal Komuniti Besut chairman, Mohd Azizul Azli Mohd Sani, who led a convoy of 60 volunteers with hearses and ambulances from Besut, Terengganu, described the experience as one of the most heart-wrenching of his life.
Azizul said the most unforgettable moment occurred at the Forensic Department of Hospital Raja Permaisuri Bainun (HRPB) in Ipoh, during the identification and post-mortem process.
"We left Besut at 10am on Monday and arrived in Ipoh around 4pm.
"The area around the forensics department was packed with grieving next-of-kin. We witnessed some collapsing silently from overwhelming grief.
"Most of the victims suffered severe injuries, and in some cases, families could only identify their loved ones through their clothing," he told Berita Harian.
At around 1am on Monday, 15 UPSI students were killed in a crash involving the tour bus they were travelling in and a Perodua Alza along the East-West Highway (JRTB).
The students were returning to the university's main campus in Tanjung Malim from Jertih, Terengganu, after the Aidiladha holiday break.
Azizul said some family members initially struggled to accept the loss and had to be comforted by police and counsellors before the identification process could begin.
"Once they had calmed down, the identification started. I saw many relatives walk out of the forensics room in a daze, unable to speak.
"It was as though the tragedy was too sudden to comprehend, but eventually, they came to terms with Allah's will," he said.
He also expressed gratitude for the overwhelming support shown by members of the public, including non-Muslims, who provided food aid to his team during their time at the hospital.
"Imagine, we had a convoy of 18 hearses and two ambulances travelling from Besut since 10am. We had only eaten some bread in the van and went without a proper meal until the evening, sleeping briefly in the hearse while waiting for the forensic process to conclude.
"Unexpectedly, many people, including members of the Indian community, came to deliver food such as nasi kandar, nasi lemak, burgers and drinks around 6pm.
"This tragedy marked the largest mass remains management exercise our organisation has handled since its founding in 2018.
"We also helped transport injured victims and their families back to Terengganu after they were discharged from hospital, without charging any fees," he added.