Wrecked bus pulled out of ravine in three-hour operation

Bentong police chief Supt Mohd Mansor Mohd Nor said the operation, which began at 10am and involved about 160 personnel among others from the Fire and Rescue Department, Road Transport Department (JPJ) and Civil Defence Department, was led by the police.

"We took two hours and 45 minutes to bring up the bus which weighs about three tonnes using a crane capable of lifting 200 tonnnes," he told reporters at the scene.

Mohd Mansor said engineers from the Computerised Vehicle Inspection Centre (Puspakom) and JPJ would firt inspect the wreck before it was to the Bentong Police Headquarters for further investigation.

"For the inspection, we need to ensure that conditions are safe like making sure that leaking diesel does not pose and explosion risk.

"I cannot determine when the inspection process will finish...investigations will be carried out in stages," said Mohd Mansor.

He added that the bus's components would be disassembled to find out the source of the accident.

The operation to pull out the wreck was postponed from yesterday to today as the crane took time to arrive at the scene from Kuala Lumpur. It only arrived at about 8pm yesterday.

The accident on Wednesday claimed the lives of 37 people, including the bus driver, and left 16 others injured, making it the worst bus tragedy in the country.