GERIK: The crash on the Gerak-Jeli stretch of the East-West Highway that killed four, including a child, happened when the Perodua Axia they were travelling in went out of control.

The vehicle entered the opposite lane at Km38.5 of the highway near Tasik Banding and crashed into another car and a lorry.

Perak police chief Datuk Mohd Alwi Zainal Abidin said the Axia was travelling from Gerik towards Jeli when the crash happened about 1.30pm.

He said the vehicle crashed into the rear of a Proton Persona, which was travelling from Jeli towards Gerik.

"Following the collision, the Axia went underneath the lorry and was dragged for about 3m to 7m," he said in a statement.