Tragedy struck on the North-South Expressway in Batu Pahat, Malaysia, as two Singaporean men lost their lives and four others sustained injuries in a fatal accident involving a container lorry at KM111.4. Batu Pahat OCPD Asst Comm Ismail Dollah confirmed that the police were alerted to the incident at 3am on Saturday.
The unfortunate incident unfolded when eight Singaporean men were travelling in a motorcycle convoy from Singapore towards Pagoh, Muar, for suhur. As one of the riders encountered a flat tire and stopped at a rest and recreation area in Yong Peng, the remaining seven waited in the emergency lane. Suddenly, a lorry veered off course and ran into the group of riders.
The lorry, driven by a 33-year-old man accompanied by a 29-year-old secondary driver, lost control and collided with the group. The impact led to the immediate death of two 26-year-old men, while four others sustained severe injuries and were rushed to Sultanah Fatimah Hospital in Muar for treatment.
The driver, his partner, and one of the convoy riders emerged unscathed from the accident. The driver has been detained from March 23 to March 25 to assist with the investigation, and tests for drugs and alcohol yielded negative results.
The bodies of the deceased have been transferred to Batu Pahat Hospital for post-mortem examinations as authorities delve deeper into the circumstances surrounding the tragic collision.
