UPSI Confirms 42 Of Its Students Involved In Fatal Gerik Bus Crash

IPOH, June 9 (Bernama) -- Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) has confirmed that 42 of its students were on board the bus involved in the fatal collision with another vehicle along the East-West Highway in Banun, Gerik, early this morning.

The accident claimed the lives of 15 UPSI students.

The UPSI Corporate Communication Division, when contacted, said that 44 students were supposed to board the bus, but two of them did not.

It later issued a statement saying that it had received a preliminary report on the crash.

"UPSI is taking follow-up action on the matter. As such, we ask the UPSI staff and the public to pray that we be granted ease in our affairs,” it added.

It also stressed that UPSI is always concerned with the welfare of its students and will provide assistance and support to the next-of-kin of the crash victims.

The Corporate Communication Division added that UPSI has activated an operations room and any information can be channelled to it by contacting 05-450 7148 (office) or 019-571 9977 (hotline).

Meanwhile, seven of the crash victims are treated in the red zone, 20 in the yellow zone and six in the green zone of Gerik Hospital.

Earlier, the Hulu Perak Civil Defence Force (APM) District Operations Control Centre (PKOD) said in a statement that at least 15 people were killed in the crash involving a bus carrying students from UPSI and a vehicle on the East-West Highway in Banun, Gerik, early today.

The statement added that they received an emergency call from Gerik Hospital regarding the collision at 1.10 am.

-- BERNAMA