KUANTAN – Seven Nepalese nationals were injured after a tour bus overturned in an accident involving two tour buses and a sports utility vehicle (SUV) along the Genting Highlands-Genting Sempah descent road on Friday evening.
The incident occurred at Kilometre 15 of the winding mountain road, a route frequently used by tourists travelling to and from the popular hill resort. Emergency services were alerted to the accident shortly after it happened and quickly mobilised rescue personnel to the scene.
According to Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) Pahang Operations Division Assistant Director Mohd Salahuddin Isa, the department received an emergency call regarding the incident at 5.29pm. Firefighters from the Genting Highlands Fire and Rescue Station were immediately dispatched and arrived at the location at 6.06pm.
He said one of the tour buses, which was carrying 36 passengers, overturned during the accident. The passengers were reported to be Nepalese nationals, and seven of them sustained injuries.
The second tour bus, carrying 34 passengers from Bangladesh and Nepal, was also involved in the accident. However, all passengers on board were reported safe and did not suffer any injuries.
The accident also involved a Perodua Aruz SUV carrying three individuals. Fortunately, all occupants of the vehicle escaped unharmed.
Mohd Salahuddin said all passengers and vehicle occupants managed to exit their respective vehicles before firefighters arrived at the scene. This helped prevent further complications and allowed rescue personnel to focus on assisting the injured and securing the area.
Firefighters provided immediate medical assistance to the injured victims before handing them over to Ministry of Health personnel for further treatment and transportation to the hospital.
Apart from rescue efforts, firefighters also carried out clean-up operations to remove oil spilled onto the road following the crash. Such measures were necessary to ensure the safety of other motorists using the route and to prevent secondary accidents.
Authorities have yet to release further details regarding the cause of the accident. Investigations are expected to be carried out to determine the circumstances that led to the collision involving the three vehicles.
The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of road safety, particularly on hilly and challenging routes such as Genting Highlands, where drivers are advised to remain cautious and adhere to traffic regulations at all times.
