According to the New Straits Times, the world number one men's single badminton player met with an accident at the Maju Expressway (MEX) when he was on route to the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) along with a few other shuttlers.

Collided with a lorry

While Momota escaped with his life, the driver of the van, 24-year-old Bavan a/l Nageswarau, was killed on the spot after their vehicle rammed into a lorry.

Other passengers in the van were assistant coach Yu Hirayama, 35, physiotherapist Morimoto Akifumi, 42, and William Thomas, 30, a technical officer of the Badminton World Federation.

Selangor Fire and Rescue Department director Norazam Khamis told the English daily that the van had collided with the soil-laden 30-tonne lorry, which was reportedly moving at a snail’s pace.

He said a distress call was made to the department at 4.57am, and 10 personnel in two engines from the Serdang fire station were dispatched to the scene.

Following the crash, Momota suffered a broken nose and a fractured cheekbone. He reportedly received stitches to his lips, while Hirayama sustained facial injuries and on her right leg, and Akifumi suffered a broken hand.

Thomas reportedly received seven stitches to his head and suffered leg injuries.

All of them are currently warded at the Putrajaya Hospital and are in stable condition.