Seven religious students killed in horrific crash
KUALA KRAI: The number of victims killed in the accident involving a van carrying a group of tahfiz (religious) students and their teachers in Kuala Krai yesterday has risen to seven.
In addition to the seven tahfiz students killed, seven were injured, including five seriously.
The van they were travelling in skidded and fell into a ravine and crashed into a rubber tapper’s house at Km55 Jalan Kuala Krai- Kota Bharu, near Kampung Telekung yesterday.
The group of 12 students and two teachers were from Maahad Tahfiz al-Hashimi Kampung Tualang here.
The latest victim Mohd Hakimi Mohd Dahlan, 17, succumbed to his injuries while receiving treatment at the Kuala Krai Hospital, said Kuala Krai district deputy police chief ACP Zulkarnain Ismail Al Haj said.
In the 9.40am incident, five students died at the scene .
They were Mohamad Hafiz Aimullah Mustafa, 18, Muhammad Rahman Rozali, 18, Nik Shah Jehan Nik Azmi, 16, Nik Ahmed Daniel Nik Ahmed Rithaudeen, 14, and a Thai student, Sarifuddin Muhammad, his age unknown.
Earlier, another victim, Ahmad Farhan Zulkifli, 14, had succumbed to his injuries while receiving treatment at the same hospital.
The five victims who were seriously injured were treated at the Kuala Krai Hospital and two others at the Machang Hospital, said Zulkarnain.
“The 12 students and two teachers were on their way to attend the al-Quran Interpretation Conference at Madinah Ramadan (near the Sultan Muhammad IV Stadium) Kota Bharu. The cause of the accident is still under investigation,” he said.
Meanwhile, a solemn atmosphere surrounded the Kuala Krai Hospital morgue where more than 50 family members of the victims gathered to claim the bodies.
Also present were Kelantan Menteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Yakob and his deputy Datuk Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah.
Ahmad expressed his condolences to the families of the students involved and said he oped that they could remain strong in the midst of the tragedy. — Bernama