1 Woman Dead After Van With 10 Singaporean Tourists Fell Into Penang Ravine
The group was descending Bukit Genting when the van they were travelling in skidded and fell into a deep ravine.
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A Singaporean woman was killed after a van ferrying 10 tourists from Singapore plunged into a ravine at Bukit Genting, Penang, around 8pm yesterday (24 September).
According to The Star, the deceased has been identified as Lee Kwee Yiam, 62. The tour company shared the information with the Penang Tourism and Creative Economy Committee Chairman Wong Hon Wai.
Among the 11 people aboard the van, four were seriously injured while six others sustained light injuries. The Malaysian driver was among those seriously injured.
Rescuers said the group in the van was descending a hill after they had dinner at the Bukit Genting Hill Leisure Park and Restaurant.
After about a 5-minute drive from the restaurant, the van skidded and fell into a 6m-deep ravine. The Seri Balik Pulau fire station was alerted about the incident at 8.14pm.
By the time the fire and rescue department arrived at the scene, five passengers had managed to free themselves from the vehicle.
Rescuers said there was difficulty reaching the hill with fire engines so they had to hike up with stretchers and rescue equipment, which took them 15 minutes. They then had to hike downhill to rescue the trapped victims.
Operations officer N. Prenavaran said safety was of paramount importance since they had to navigate the steep and slippery slope in the dark.
The last to be rescued was a woman who was trapped. Rescuers had to cut the dashboard and steering wheel to get to her. The rescue operation wrapped up at around 10.40am.
The body of the deceased woman and two injured victims were brought to Penang Hospital while the other seven victims were sent to Balik Pulau Hospital.
The post-mortem will be performed on the deceased on Monday. The state Health Committee chairman Daniel Gooi said both hospitals have been instructed to facilitate and assist victims in recovery.
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