KUALA LUMPUR: One person was killed, and four others, including World Number 1 Japanese shuttler Kento Momota, were lightly injured when the van they were travelling in collided with a lorry at Km13.7 of the Maju Expressway (Mex Highway) at Serdang, early today.
The deceased was identified as Bavan a/l Nageswarau, 24, the driver of the van which was transporting Momota and his fellow shuttlers to the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).
Bavan was killed on the spot in the 4.45am accident.
The other van passengers were British badminton technical officer Foster William Thomas, 30; and Japanese physiotherapist Hirayama Yu, 35, and assistant coach Morimoto Arkifuki, 42.
According to Selangor Fire and Rescue Department director Norazam Khamis, the van had collided with the soil-laden 30-tonne lorry, which was reportedly moving at a snail’s pace.
He said a distress call was made to the department at 4.57am, and 10 personnel in two engines from the Serdang fire station were dispatched to the scene.
“The van driver, a Malaysian, was found pinned to his seat and was later pronounced dead at the scene. His body was handed over to the police.
“The four passengers, (who sustained light injuries), were rushed to the Putrajaya Hospital for treatment,” he said in a statement here.
Momota won the Malaysia Masters men's singles title at the Axiata Arena in Bukit Jalil here, last night, after defeating former world champion Viktor Axelsen of Denmark.
More to come