KUALA LUMPUR, April 24 — A man was killed while his wife and four children were injured after their vehicle plunged into a ravine at Batu 21, Jalan Tapah heading towards Cameron Highlands yesterday.
The Tapah Fire and Rescue Station received a distress call at 8.43pm regarding the incident, which involved a Perodua Aruz sport utility vehicle.
According to Sinar Harian, the family of six was travelling from Kuala Lumpur to Cameron Highlands to attend a relative’s funeral when the crash occurred.
Perak Fire and Rescue Department operations assistant director Sabarodzi Nor Ahmad said the SUV skidded before falling into a three‑metre‑deep ravine and landing in a shallow river.
“Firefighters arriving at the scene found the vehicle overturned in the river. The driver was trapped in his seat before rescue operations were carried out,” he said in a statement.
Rescuers used special equipment to extricate the 44‑year‑old driver, who was later pronounced dead at the scene by Health Ministry medical officers.
His body was handed over to police for further action.
Sabarodzi said the other five victims — a 48‑year‑old woman, two teenage girls aged 19 and 17, and two boys aged nine and six — sustained injuries.
“All injured victims were pulled out by members of the public before being handed over to Health Ministry personnel for treatment,” he added.
The rescue operation, which ended at 11.02pm, involved 14 firefighters assisted by the Ringlet Fire and Rescue Station, supported by four vehicles including two Fire Rescue Tenders, a Rapid Response Vehicle and an Emergency Medical Rescue Services unit.
Earlier, a dashboard camera video believed to be from another vehicle went viral, showing the SUV skidding while trying to avoid an oncoming lorry on a narrow bend.
