Malaysian bus ferrying tourists to Singapore plunges down ravine

The bus accident which occurred at around 4:40pm yesterday - according to police in the Pahang town of Pekan - was ferrying 41 people on the bus, including 20 Singaporeans, five Indian nationals working in Singapore, six Chinese and two Brits, in addition to nationals from Myanmar, France, the United States and Taiwan. Three Malaysians were also aboard the double-decker bus, which plunged down a 15-metre slope at an oil palm plantation in Pahang.

According to The Straits Times, the bus skidded and spun several times before rolling over to land in a bush near the oil palm plantation. 32-year old British tourist, Harry Christopher Woolhouse, died in the accident.

The policeman in charge of Pekan, Superintendent Yahaya Othman, cited injured passengers had been conveyed to three hospitals in Pekan, Kuantan and Muadzam Shah towns - although none were reported to be in a serious condition.

The bus driver, identified only as Along, told Malaysia's New Straits Times newspaper it was raining and he suddenly lost control of the bus when descending a slope. Another bus driver Mohd Salleh Hassan, said Along was a relief driver who took over for the first leg of the journey from Terengganu.

According to The Straits Times, Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the High Commission in Kuala Lumpur was rendering consular assistance to the affected Singaporeans.