KUALA LUMPUR: A Japanese tourist has died and 12 other people were injured after a tour bus smashed into the rear of a trailer on a highway near Taiping, one of Japan's largest travel agencies said on Friday (Oct 25).
JTB Corp reported the crash happened on Thursday as the bus was heading from Penang to Cameron Highlands.
A woman in her 70s succumbed to her injuries and died, JTB president and chief executive officer Eijiro Yamakita told a news conference in Tokyo.
Perak Fire and Rescue Department on Friday morning said that the victims included the local driver and tour guide as well as 11 Japanese tourists consisting of three men and eight women.
All 13 victims were carried out in stretchers and taken to hospital after receiving initial treatment on site.
Yamakita said some of the survivors were seriously injured. He said their exact conditions were unknown, and that the cause of the crash was under investigation.
Pictures provided by the fire department showed the front portion of the bus badly mangled, with a shattered windscreen.
"As a travel agency, we are truly sorry about this incident and offer our deepest apologies,” Yamakita said.
The company said it is fully cooperating with local authorities and the Japanese embassy in Malaysia and has sent staff from its Kuala Lumpur office as well as from Tokyo to provide support for the passengers and their relatives.
Yamakita said the bus was hired by a local tour operator, and that it met JTB’s safety standards. - AP
