Rescuers took more than four hours to extricate bodies from Gerik bus crash wreckage
KOTA BARU: Rescuers took more than four hours to extricate the bodies of the victims who died in the bus crash at Jalan Jeli-Gerik near Tasik Banding, early this morning.
Fire and Rescue Department director-general Datuk Nor Hisham Mohammad said the operation involved personnel from multiple agencies, with the bodies later handed over to the police for further action.
He was commenting on the deadly accident which claimed the lives of 15 people, 14 of whom were Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) students.
Nor Hisham extended his condolences to the victims' families.
He also noted that this was the second major road-related road disaster to hit the country this year.
"Previously, we lost nine Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) personnel in an accident," he said, referring to the May 13 incident when an FRU truck collided with a lorry carrying stones on Jalan Chikus–Sungai Lampam in Teluk Intan, Perak.
Earlier this morning, 15 people were killed when the bus they were in collided with a Perodua Alza multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) along Jalan Jeli - Grik near Tasik Banding, Perak.
A total of 33 people were injured.
It is understood that the UPSI bus was travelling from Jerteh, Terengganu to the university's main campus.
Firefighters had to cut open the rear section of the bus to extricate the victims.
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