Van crash: Engine shut off and brakes were also pulled up

A four-year-old child died when the van he was in crashed into a septic pond at taman Universiti, here.

Preliminary investigations found that the engine of the van had been shut off and the brakes were pulled up during the incident.

Johor Bahru district Police Chief, Assistant Commissioner Mohd Khamsani Abdul Rahman said that the victim, Muhammad Azri Aqif Azhar, 4, died while being taken to the Klinik Kesihatan Taman Universiti.

The victim’s body was taken to the Temenggong Seri Maharaja Tun Ibrahim Hospital in Kulaijaya for post-mortem and was later prayed for at a nearby mosque before sent to his mother’s hometown in Terengganu for burial.

Five other passengers were also taken to the Klinik Kesihatan Taman Universiti before being transferred to the Sultanah Aminah hospital in Johor Bharu for further treatment.

They were Nur Aima Razak, 5, Muhammad Hadif Syauqi Samsol Akamal, 5, Danial Asyraf Abdullah, 5, Danial Aiman Hakimi Md Gefri, 6, and Sakinah Roslan, 5.

According to a witness, Mohd Hanafi Jaafar, he saw the driver of the van loading the children into the van.

The vehicle however reversed and crashed into the gate of the septic pond before entering it.

He said the victim, Muhammad Azri Aqif Azhar was the last child saved as he was trapped in the van.

The driver of the van has been detained for further investigation.