In a harrowing ordeal that lasted 48 hours, firemen successfully rescued a 17-year-old girl who was stranded in a mangrove swamp beneath the iconic Penang Bridge.
The teenager had reportedly fallen off the bridge on Thursday and managed to swim towards a building with a distinctive blue roof.
2 days of unnoticed waving & shouting
Unfortunately, her journey took a perilous turn when she became ensnared in the branches of a mangrove tree in the muddy vicinity near the Penang Port Sdn Bhd port, reported FMT.
Despite her desperate attempts to attract attention by waving and shouting, the stranded girl went unnoticed by passing boats for two agonising days.
Fire department worker spots distress signals
It wasn’t until a sharp-eyed worker from the port fire department spotted her frantic signals that the rescue operation was set into motion.
The daring rescue unfolded at 9 am yesterday, orchestrated by the Penang fire and rescue department’s senior operations commander, Faris Izwan Ahmad Fadzilah.
The teenager, visibly weak but not seriously injured, was promptly conveyed to Seberang Jaya Hospital for further medical attention.
Teen’s driving test failure behind ordeal
During her rescue, the young girl disclosed to her saviours that her predicament was triggered by the fear of facing reprimands from her family over her recent failure to pass a driving test.
The discovery of her abandoned motorcycle on the bridge shed light on the circumstances leading to her perilous situation.
In light of this, Faris emphasises the importance of mental health awareness and encourages those feeling stressed, distressed, or grappling with emotional challenges to seek professional help.
Individuals in need can contact doctors or reach out to Befrienders at 03-7627 2929 for support and assistance.
