Five of Indian origin family die in Malaysia car crash

Five members of an Indian origin family were killed and one was seriously injured when the car they were travelling in rammed into the iron pillar of a signpost on the North-South Expressway in the Malaysian state of Johor.

Those killed have been identified as P. Pavai, 65, her daughters, R. Selvarani, 46, and R. Greetha, 42, and two grandsons, G. Vikneswaran, 19, and A. Akash, 7, media reported Thursday.

They were on their way from Skudai to Kulaijaya in Johor state Wednesday when the accident happened.

Fire and rescue department personnel took more than 30 minutes to extricate the bodies from the accident site at Km 17.9 of the highway.

The injured, G. Vinitha, 16, has been admitted to the intensive care unit of the Johor Specialist Hospital.

Vikneswaran was reportedly driving the car when he lost control. The car first hit the left hand side of the divider and then rammed into the pillar. Seven-year-old Akash was flung out of the car.

"Police are still investigating to determine the cause of the accident," Kulaijaya police chief superintendent Zulkifly Yahya was quoted as saying.