KUALA LUMPUR -- Five Australian soldiers were killed and six injured when an army truck ferrying 20 soldiers back to the camp collided with a bus in the southern state of Johor, a Malaysian army spokesman said Saturday.
The incident occurred Thursday when the Australian soldiers from the 5th and 7th battalions based in Sydney were returning to camp after participating in jungle warfare training, Major Armajit Singh said.
He said the army kept the incident secret at the request of the Australian High Commission after notifying immediate relatives.
The 15 soldiers, including the six injured soldiers, left for Australia Friday,
The deceased soldiers, Sgt. Ian Rutherford of Russel Island; Cpl. Paul Wiffen of Newtown, Sidney; Cpl. Darren Murphy and L-Cpl. Darryn O'Rouke, both from Holsworthy, New South Wales, and Cpl. Christopher Burnett of North Balwyn, Victoria, will be flown to Australia Monday, he said.
He said one of the bus passengers was seriously injured while the rest suffered only slight injuries.
