Ayer Keroh crash: KPWKM to provide counseling to survivors, victims' families

BUKIT BESI: The Women, Family and Community Development Ministry (KPWKM) will provide counselling assistance to the victims' families and survivors of last night's fatal accident at Kilometre 204 of the North-South Expressway (PLUS) northbound in Alor Gajah, Melaka, said Deputy Minister Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad.

She said the ministry is waiting for the full report from the Social Welfare Department (JKM) and police regarding the incident that claimed seven lives.

"We will have counsellors to offer support to them and their families. KPWKM is deeply saddened by this," he told reporters after attending the meet-and-greet event of Wanita UMNO chief and the Dungun UMNO Division Wanita head here today.

Seven people, including five from a family, were killed, and 33 others were injured in the accident involving a tour bus carrying 27 passengers, two lorries, a car, and a Toyota Estima MPV at 8.45 pm last night.

Initial police investigations revealed that the tour bus hit a dislodged front tyre of a lorry in the middle lane, causing the driver to lose control and swerve into the opposite lane before crashing into the three other vehicles.

Alor Gajah District Police chief Supt Ashari Abu Samah said those killed were the 32-year-old MPV driver Khairul Ikhwan Mazupi, his 32-year-old wife Fadzlenna Ramli, Ramli Ab Wahab, 66, Fauziah Jaafar, 69, Muhammad Umar Khairul Ikhwan, 2, the tour bus driver Noorisnien Khamid, 56, and a Singaporean passenger of the tour bus Lamrah Asid Ali, 66.

-- BERNAMA