Police have confirmed that an accident involving 21 schoolchildren on the North-South Expressway near the Bandar Dato Onn exit yesterday occurred when the school van they were travelling in rear-ended a trailer that had stopped due to engine problems.

Johor Baru North District Police Chief, Assistant Commissioner Balveer Singh Mahindar Singh, said the incident was reported at 6.23pm, and a video of the crash had since gone viral on social media, according to a report published in Buletin TV3 today.

“Investigations revealed the accident happened around 2pm, involving a school van driven by a 46-year-old local man. The van was travelling from the Bandar Dato Onn exit towards northern Johor Baru when it collided with the rear of a trailer that had stopped in the lane due to engine trouble.

“As a result of the collision, the van driver and two of the 21 schoolchildren on board sustained injuries and were treated at Sultan Ismail Hospital.“The 32-year-old trailer driver was uninjured,” he said in a statement last night.The case is being investigated under Rule 10 of the Road Traffic Rules 1959 for failing to control a vehicle, leading to an accident.

Earlier, media reports stated that the school van driver was injured after being trapped in the driver’s seat following the collision with the trailer.The victim was successfully extricated by Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) personnel within 30 minutes before being sent to hospital.