Malaysian Victims of Shanxi Bus Crash Return Home

Malaysian Victims of Shanxi Bus Crash Return Home

June 09, 2006

    Kuala Lumpur, June 9 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- 11
Malaysian tourists involved in a bus crash in Shanxi, China
will be returning to Penang today via a Boeing 737 chartered
by International SOS on behalf of four insurance companies -
American Home Assurance Company, Malaysia; American
International Assurance Company, Limited (Malaysia); Aviva
Insurance Berhad and Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance (M)
Bhd. International SOS is the official assistance provider
of these insurance companies.

    Depending on their injury type, some patients were
flown back on stretchers fitted into the aircraft cabin
while the rest were seated. An International SOS medical
team comprising six intensive-care unit (ICU) doctors and
three nurses escorted the patients on their journey home.
They are expected to arrive in Penang on 9 June, at
approximately 0200 hours.

    The Boeing 737 was specially medicalised to function as
an air ambulance with a full range of mobile intensive care
equipment, while seats were re-configured to fit
stretchers.  This allows International SOS' medical teams
to provide medical care to patients with serious injuries,
throughout the medical transportation.

    International SOS also assisted the families of the
deceased with the cremation of three deceased victims and
the repatriation of mortal remains for one deceased
victim.

    Upon receiving the call for help on the evening of 3
June, a day after the incident occurred, International SOS
immediately mobilized medical and logistics personnel to
Shanxi from Kuala Lumpur and Beijing on behalf of the
insurance companies. The first response team, comprising a
doctor and a Chinese-speaking operations coordinator
arrived in Taiyuan, capital of Shanxi the following
morning.  

    Working with the local treating doctors and hospitals,
the first response team ascertained the location of each
victim and obtained preliminary medical reports. Their
immediate task was to assess the medical conditions of the
victims and develop a plan of action for the victims to
receive appropriate medical care and onward repatriation to
Malaysia.

    A second International SOS team comprising three
intensive care unit doctors, a nurse and three operations
specialists were also mobilized to boost up the resources
in Tai Yuan and render assistance to victims as well as
their families, some of whom had flown in from Penang to
Tai Yuan.

    About International SOS

    International SOS has global operations in over 60
countries, spanning five continents. The company provides
clients with a comprehensive portfolio of medical and
security services to ensure that people travelling and
working internationally have access to immediate help.
International SOS' services range from 24-hour medical
advice, referrals to qualified doctors and hospitals as
well as provision of emergency medical and security
evacuations when there is a critical illness, accident or
civil unrest. 

    Last year, the company handled over 370,000 assistance
cases, including more than 10,000 medical evacuations.

    More information about International SOS, please refer
to http://www.internationalsos.com

    For more information, please contact:

    Singapore
     Grace Ngoh
     International SOS 
     DID:    [phone]
     Mobile: [phone]
     Email:  [e-mail]

    Beijing
     He, Jingbin
     Beijing International SOS
     Tel:    [phone] ext 293
     Fax:    [phone]
     Email:  [e-mail]

SOURCE  International SOS