Kuala Lumpur: Buses carrying athletes involved in accident, injuries reported

On Monday morning, two buses carrying Southeast Asia (SEA) Games athletes were involved in an accident in Kuala Lumpur.

Two Myanmar squash players, Aye Aye Thin and Ei Ei Pyone, who were to compete on the women’s doubles, have pulled out of the competition.

Squash players from Thailand and Philippines were also on the bus but were reported unhurt.

According to Kuala Lumpur’s traffic department, the accident occurred when one of the buses broke suddenly as a motorcycle swerved in front of it which caused a second bus, travelling behind the first, to crash into it.

Squash matches suspended

Monday’s squash matches for the men’s doubles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles have been temporarily suspended.

'We're putting the competition on hold until the players get medical clearance to play,' said SEA Games squash technical officer K. Sivanesan.

'We're rescheduling and we expect things to be up and running after lunch.'

The Malaysia Organising Committee (MASOC) stated that matches involving not injured players will proceed as planned.

“It is expected that matches that do not involve any affected athletes will proceed, with all Team Managers agreement, starting from 3pm today.”

Not the first transportation incident

This wasn’t SEA Games’ first transportation incident. Last Thursday, the driver from Myanmar’s women’s football team was arrested for stealing a player’s watch and for driving without a license.

Both incidents are under investigation by the Royal Malaysian Police and the Road Transport Department.