A TRAGIC road accident along Jalan Jerangau–Jabor in Dungun has claimed the lives of three family members, including a mother and her two young children, as witnesses described harrowing rescue efforts at the scene.
The crash occurred at about 6pm on Monday near Felda Jerangau, when a Perodua Aruz overturned, leaving five occupants trapped inside.
The driver, Nurul Hafizah Shaary, 39, and her 13-year-old son, Muhammad Redzuan Arash Mohamad Redzuan, died at the scene, while her four-year-old daughter, Nur Radya Athalia Mohamad Redzuan, later succumbed to injuries at a nearby health clinic.
Ramli Ngah, 56, who was among the first to arrive, said he heard cries for help as he approached the overturned vehicle.
“When I approached the overturned Perodua Aruz, I heard screams for help coming from inside,” he said.
Ramli, who had been returning home after attending a family gathering in Kemaman, said the accident had just occurred when he arrived.
“When I reached the scene, the accident had just happened. When I saw the vehicle overturned with all its wheels facing upwards, I immediately ran towards it.
“When I heard the cries for help, I had to lie flat to look inside and found five victims in the car,” he said.
He and several others attempted to open the vehicle’s doors but were unsuccessful due to the severity of the crash.
“The driver’s side door was pinned against an electric pole, so I had to seek help from a friend with a four-wheel-drive vehicle to pull the car to make it easier to extricate the victims.
“One of the victims, the elder sister of the three children, pleaded for her younger sibling who had been thrown to the back seat,” he said.
Ramli said he and three others eventually managed to open the rear compartment after a strenuous effort.
“At that time, I tried to reach in and retrieve Nur Radya Athalia, who was trapped between the seats. She was silent and her body had started to turn blue.
“I asked the two injured siblings, Nur Rakhis Aral, nine, and her elder sister Nur Raesha Amanda, 14, who were crying in pain and repeatedly pleading for their youngest sibling to be saved, to remain calm as I needed to rescue Nur Radya Athalia first.
“After 10 minutes of effort, I finally managed to pull her out. She had severe injuries to her body and arms, and I could not hold back my tears when I saw her condition,” he said.
He then sought immediate assistance to rush the child to a nearby clinic.
“I asked for help from a passing vehicle to take Nur Radya Athalia to the nearest health clinic.
“Once the fire and rescue team arrived, I handed over to them, and they managed to extricate the remaining victims,” he said.
Ramli said he was deeply saddened upon learning that the young girl he had tried to save did not survive.
“I was very saddened when I was informed that Nur Radya Athalia did not live long and was later confirmed dead,” he said.
He added that the stretch of road where the accident occurred has long been known for serious crashes.
“For nearly 30 years, I have been helping to rescue accident victims along this road, but this latest tragedy brought me to tears, especially seeing the condition of Nur Radya Athalia,” he said. - March 24, 2026
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