Malaysia bus crash kills 15, mostly students
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At least 15 were killed, mostly students, in a Malaysia bus crash on the East-West Highway near Gerik.
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This handout photo taken and released by Perak’s Fire and Rescue Department on June 9, 2025 shows a minivan after it collided with a bus in Gerik-Jeli, in Malaysia’s Perak state (AFP)
A devastating bus crash in northern Malaysia has claimed the lives of at least 15 people, most of them university students, after the vehicle collided with a minivan along the country’s notorious East-West Highway near the town of Gerik. The incident marks Malaysia’s deadliest road accident in over a decade.
The crash occurred shortly after 1:00 am local time on Monday as the bus, carrying students from Sultan Idris Education University, was en route from Jerteh in northeastern Malaysia back to campus. Authorities confirmed that 13 individuals died at the scene and two later succumbed to injuries at the hospital.
Initial investigations suggest the bus lost control and struck a minivan from behind. Images released by the fire and rescue department show the bus overturned on its side, while the minivan was forced into a roadside ditch with shattered windows and extensive damage.
“Some victims managed to get out on their own, some were thrown out, while others were still trapped in the bus,” the Perak State Disaster Management Authority reported. Emergency responders had to use hydraulic cutters to reach those pinned inside the vehicle.
A total of 33 passengers were injured, including seven in critical condition. Most of the victims were aged between 21 and 23.
Victims from Sultan Idris Education University
Authorities confirmed that 14 of the dead were students from Sultan Idris Education University, while the 15th was a bus attendant. The students were returning to campus following a weekend break when the accident occurred near the Thai border.
The crash adds to a long list of fatal incidents along the East-West Highway, a route often criticized for its hazardous conditions and frequent collisions involving wildlife and speeding vehicles in Malaysia.
Local media reported harrowing accounts from bystanders. One witness told the New Straits Times that “it was a chaotic scene with students screaming and crying for help.” Victims were found trapped between twisted metal, while others had been ejected from the wreckage.
Perak State Police Chief Hisam Nordin confirmed that investigations are underway to determine whether driver negligence or mechanical failure was a contributing factor.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim offered condolences to the families of the victims and ordered the Higher Education Ministry to provide support. Writing on Facebook, he said he and his wife, Azizah, were “deeply saddened” by the tragedy.
“Heartbreaking disasters like these that are repeated often should be a lesson to all to be careful and not to rush,” he wrote. “Your lives are too precious and can't be replaced.”
Anwar’s remarks have renewed focus on national road safety, particularly on dangerous routes like the East-West Highway.
According to official statistics, Malaysia records an average of 18 road deaths per day. While the country has taken steps to improve highway safety, critics argue that enforcement and infrastructure upgrades have not kept pace with traffic volumes.
The worst bus disaster in Malaysia’s recent history occurred in 2013 when an express bus plunged into a ravine northeast of Kuala Lumpur, killing 37 people.
