4 from Malacca die in trip

2009/11/23

SUNGAI PETANI: Four members of a family were killed when the van they were travelling in crashed into a tree at Km103.8 of the North-South Expressway, near here early yesterday. The dead were Ismail Ahmad, 53; his wife Solahah Samah, in her 40s; daughter Ismalini, 23, and son Mohd Salehuddin, 15.

Ismalini died in hospital while the others died on the spot.

Four other daughters were injured and were admitted to Sultan Abdul Halim Hospital.

They are Ismaliza, 28, who drove the van, Siti Nurain, 21, Nur Rahmah, l8, and Nur Sakinah, 13.

Kuala Muda district deputy police chief Supt Ong Ai Chang said Ismail and his family, of Sungai Udang in Malacca, were on their way to visit his older son Islami in Kampung Pida 4, in Ayer Hitam, near here.

Fire and Rescue personnel bringing out the bodies of Ismail Ahmad, his wife Solahah Samah and their son Mohd Salehuddin. — NST picture by Shahrizal Md Noor

At 7.45am, Ismaliza lost control of the van and it skidded before slamming into the tree.

The front passenger side took the brunt of the damage.

Speaking at the hospital, Islami, 31, said his parents and siblings had left Malacca around 11pm on Saturday.

"My father called me at 2am to say they made a short stop in Sungai Buloh, Selangor.

"Six hours later, I called my father and was surprised when Ismaliza answered."

That's how he learnt about the accident and the deaths.