Redang-Singapore bus plunges into ravine, killing one

SINGAPORE — A double-decker bus on its way back to Singapore from Terengganu plunged into a 15m-deep ravine at an oil palm plantation yesterday afternoon, killing a tourist from the United Kingdom, while at least three Singaporeans sustained minor injuries.

The New Straits Times (NST) reported that the bus had 38 passengers, and among them were tourists from the UK, the United States, France, China, India and Singapore, who had spent their holidays on Pulau Redang.

It is not known how many Singaporeans were on the bus. The boyfriend of one Singaporean passenger, who wanted to be known only as Mr See, said his girlfriend said she had been sleeping when she was thrown out of the bus, as it rolled down the slope. Neither she nor her two friends were seriously hurt.

The travel agency that arranged their trip — Sany Travel and Tour — has sent a coach to pick up the passengers at the hospitals they were taken to, he said, adding: “What I know is the passengers have been sent to three different hospitals.”

Calls to the agency’s office last night went unanswered.

The deceased was identified as Mr Harry Woolhouse, 32.

The bus driver suffered a broken spine and was rushed to a hospital in Kuantan.

He told the New Straits Times: “It was raining and I suddenly lost control of the vehicle when descending the sloping stretch.

“The bus spun several times before it rolled over the slope on the left side of the road.”

The incident happened a day after an express bus crashed at the East Coast Expressway near Temerloh. It was the second fatal accident involving a double-decker bus in 10 days.

On April 12, three people died when a bus overturned on its way to Kota Baru from Kuala Lumpur.

ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY JOY FANG