Kuala Lumpur:

On Tuesday, a tragic accident claimed the lives of at least nine members of Malaysia’s paramilitary forces when their transport truck collided with a heavy vehicle, as reported by emergency services and various media outlets.

The incident occurred while the unit was returning to Ipoh in northern Malaysia after participating in the Hindu festival, according to a statement from Peek Emergency Services.

“A police truck struck a gravel transport truck, trapping three individuals in the front and injuring 15 others in the rear,” the statement elaborated.

Initial information reveals that eight members of the Federal Reserve Unit of Malaysia lost their lives, along with the driver of the truck. Reports indicate that a ninth paramilitary member succumbed to injuries later on.

“Two individuals are critically injured, while seven others are receiving treatment for moderate wounds,” Pera Police Chief Bakri Zainar Abidin informed the Newstraits Times.

A 40-year-old truck driver has been detained in connection with the incident, he further noted.

Malaysia experiences one of the highest rates of road accident fatalities in Southeast Asia, with reports indicating that someone dies in a car accident almost every two hours, according to the Star Newspaper in March.