Police: Five-seater in horrific crash had 15 people

KERIAN: The vehicle that crashed near Gunung Semanggol along the south-bound route of the North-South Expressway was supposed to be a five-seater but was carrying about three times the number of people.

Three Myanmar nationals were killed on the spot when they were tossed out of the vehicle and fell into an irrigation channel during the 7.30am crash yesterday.

Seven sustained serious injuries, while four others had cuts and bruises.

The driver of the vehicle, believed to be also a Myanmar national, fled the scene.

When contacted, Perak Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department chief Supt Zakaria Abd Rahman said they were now on a manhunt for the driver.

“We are getting help from the communities in the area to look for him.

“We believe that the accident was due to the driver’s carelessness, which saw him losing control of the vehicle and crashing it into the side railings on the left,” he said.

“We have traced the owner of the vehicle to an address in Kampar,” he said.

Supt Zakaria said all those injured were being treated at the Taiping Hospital.

“The four with minor injuries are being detained to help with investigations while the dead had been sent to the Parit Buntar Hospital for post mortem,” he said.

“All of them did not have proper identification documents,” he said, adding that the case was being investigated under Section 41 (1) of the Road Transport Act for reckless driving resulting in death.