GOPENG, Malaysia: Four women were killed and four others seriously injured when the MPV they were travelling in crashed and plunged into a 30m ravine.

The accident occurred at 10.15am yesterday at KM301 northbound of the North-South Expressway near Gua Tempurung.

The dead were Vietnamese, believed to be here on social visit passes.

Two of the injured victims are also Vietnamese women while the remaining two men were Malaysians from Johor Baru.

At press time, the identities of the dead and injured could not be ascertained.

Kampar OCPD Supt Aziz Salleh said initial investigations showed that the Toyota Alphard was carrying eight people.

"We believe the vehicle was speeding," he said at the scene yesterday.

Three women died on the spot while the injured were sent to Hospital Raja Permaisuri Bainun. All are in critical condition.

Supt Aziz said one of the rear wheels was fitted with a spare tyre.

"We are also investigating the relationship between the Vietnamese women and the two Malaysian men," he said.

A PLUS spokesperson said the impact of the crash caused one of the victims to be thrown out of the vehicle.

The Fire and Rescue Department had to be called to extricate the trapped victims from the badly damaged vehicle.