Injured Kento Momota, team members appear to have left hospital

PUTRAJAYA (Jan 14): World No. 1 shuttler Kento Momota and three others injured in an early morning crash at Km13.7 of Maju Expressway (Mex Highway) near Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia, were believed to have left Putrajaya Hospital on Tuesday night.

The media that have been keeping a close watch on the group after news spread that Momota would return to Japan early Wednesday, witnessed a two-vehicle convoy arriving at a hotel near here.

One person in bandage was seen coming out from one of the two MPVs. They were believed to be accompanied by some badminton officials from Japan and Malaysia.

In the 4.45am accident, the MPV driver Bavan a/l Nageswarau, 24, was killed, while Momota and three other passengers comprising British badminton technical officer Foster William Thomas, 30; Japanese physiotherapist Hirayama Yu, 35, and assistant coach Morimoto Arkifuki, 42, were injured.

The group was on the way to KLIA, when the MPV crashed into the back of a lorry.

Momota won the Malaysia Masters men's singles title at Axiata Arena in Bukit Jalil here on Sunday (Jan 12) night, defeating former world champion Viktor Axelsen of Denmark.