Six in a family, including three children, were killed when the vehicle they were traveling in was involved in a horrific accident at kilometer 288.6 2 of the East Coast Expressway (LPT2) near the Chukai Toll Plaza, near here, today.

Three other family members suffered serious injury while the driver of the vehicle only sustained minor injury to the head in the accident that happened at around 5:30pm this afternoon.

The crash was believed to have occurred after the front left tyre of the Hyundai Starex Royal multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) which was carrying 10 occupants exploded sending the vehicle crashing over the road divider and into a pillar of an overpass.

According to Kemaman deputy police chief DSP Normansah Din, the six victims who perished in the accident are:

1. Ahmad Razi bin Abd Rahman, 63, (driver's elder brother)
2. Pauziyah binti Awang, 56, (driver's wife)
3. Quratulnisa, 11, (driver's daughter)
4. Sofea Adriana Bt Shahruddin, 7, (Ahmad Razi bin Abd Rahman's granddaughter)
5. Ahmad Nijat, 9, (driver's son)
6. Mahani Binti Ngah, 42, (driver's elder sister) – died on the way to the hospital

Meanwhile, the injured victims are:

1. Ahmad Shakir , 12, (driver's son)
2. Ahmad Mukriz , 3, (driver's son)
3. Quratul Ain, 14, (driver's daughter)
4. Ahmad Nasal bin Abd Rahman, 52, (driver) - minor head injury


According to Normansah, the victims were on a family trip to attend a wedding ceremony at Felda Jengka in Pahang.

They later proceeded to the Universiti Malaysia Terengganu to visit a family member before they got involved in the crash.

Meanwhile, a witness to the incident, Siti Nazirah Embong, 28, said she was driving on the same route before the ill-fated vehicle overtook her and later skidded.

"The vehicle hit the pillar of the overpass, its engine dislodged and burned. Then the vehicle rolled over several times at which time three of its occupants were thrown out. Then I saw the driver exited from the front passenger door.

"It happened so fast ... fortunately, I managed to stop my car," she said.

The case is being investigated under Section 41 (1) of the Road Transport Act 1987.