Two people were killed and three others were seriously injured when a Perodua Exora car the family members were travelling in skidded and plunged into a four-metre deep drain at Kilometre 119 of the north bound North South Expressway in Bertam yesterday.

Seberang Perai Utara district police chief ACP Noorzainy Mohd Noor identified the fatalities in the crash which occurred at 10.45 pm as the car driver, Muhammad Ruszamil Mohd Fazil, 20, and his mother, Rusnah Osman, 60. Both of them died at the scene.

He said the three injured in the crash were Rusnah's two-year-old grandson, Muhammad Faizureen Abdul Muhaimin, and two sons, ,Mohd Fairus, 36, and Muhammad Faizul, 30.

"The family, who is from Taiping , was on their way to Sungai Petani , Kedah, to visit relatives, when the driver was believed to have lost control of the car, causing the vehicle to skid and plunged into the drain.

"All the victims were trapped in the car and two of them were rescued by passers-by," he told Bernama here today.

Noorzainy said firemen took about 40 minutes to remove the remaining three victims from the wrecked car.

"Mohd Fairus , who sustained serious injury on the leg and hands, and his nephew, Muhammad Faizureen, were sent to Kepala Batas Hospital for treatment, while Muhammad Faizul, who also suffered leg injury, was sent to Sultan Abdul Halim Hospital, " he added.

He urged those who witnessed the crash to contact the police to facilitate investigation.

-- BERNAMA