Emotional pain and sadness were palpable at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital (HKL) mortuary here as relatives of those killed in yesterday's horrific bus crash in Genting Highlands gathered to identify and collect the remains of the victims.  

Some family members broke down and declined to talk to reporters.

According to an HKL spokesperson, as at 11am, the post-mortem had been conducted on 30 bodies and 17 had been identified.

The identification was ongoing as family members went about the process of claiming the remains of their loved ones.

Reporters, who had been waiting at the hospital from as early as 7am, were prohibited from entering the mortuary compound.

Meanwhile, the Tzu Chi Foundation, a humanitarian non-governmental organisation, has stationed representatives at the hospital to assist family members of the victims.  

Thirty-seven people, including the bus driver, were killed and 16 others injured in the accident at Km3.5 Jalan Genting Highlands at 2.22pm yesterday.  

The bus, carrying 52 passengers, among them several foreigners, was descending from Genting Highlands and heading towards the federal capital when it plunged into a 60-metre ravine.

The atmosphere at the mortuary became more intense as the day progressed as more and more relatives arrived to help with the identification process.

Some of the family members were seen waiting anxiously at the tent set up by the Tzu Chi Foundation.

Several hearses were seen entering the mortuary compound this morning.

- Bernama