KUALA LUMPUR – A couple narrowly escaped injury after their vehicle collided with an elephant while driving along KM 50 of the Johor Bahru–Mersing in Kota Tinggi road on Monday night.
Kota Tinggi District Police Chief Superintendent Yusof Othman said the crash occurred at around 9.20pm as the pair, aged 40 and 38, were heading towards Mersing in a Perodua Alza, local media reported.
“Suddenly, four elephants crossed the road at the location, causing the driver to be unable to avoid and crash into one of the animals.
As a result of the collision, the front part of the couple’s vehicle was severely damaged. However, both of them were unharmed,” he said in a statement.
The elephants, including the one struck, are believed to have retreated into a nearby forest. The victims have since filed a police report, primarily for documentation and insurance purposes.
Yusof urged relevant authorities to enhance monitoring efforts along the stretch, particularly at night, as it is known to be frequented by wildlife.
This marks the second incident involving elephants in less than a week.
On May 12, a male elephant calf was killed after being struck by a container lorry along Kilometre 80 of the East-West Highway near Gerik. The 2.50am incident occurred in foggy conditions, and the area reportedly lacked street lighting.
Gerik Police Chief Superintendent Zulkifli Mahmood said early findings showed no evidence of negligence on the part of the 28-year-old driver, who was transporting poultry at the time.
He previously confirmed that the calf had darted onto the road, leaving the driver no time to react.
A widely circulated video from the scene showed the baby elephant’s mother attempting to nudge the lorry in a desperate bid to revive her calf. The grieving animal reportedly remained at the site for over five hours, drawing widespread sympathy online. – May 14, 2025