Singaporean man gets trapped after his car plunges into Johor river

KOTA TINGGI - A 49-year-old Singaporean man was rescued by Johor authorities after his multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) plunged into Ulu Sedili River in Johor on March 15.

Mr Christopher Lim Teck Wnye was driving along Jalan Kota Tinggi-Mersing when he was believed to have lost control of his Toyota Alphard and fell into the river, the Johor Fire and Rescue Department said in a statement.

Eight officers were dispatched to the scene after passers-by made an emergency call at around 4pm.

The rescue team found the man trapped in the driver’s seat of the car, which was partially submerged in the river. The bonnet of the MPV appeared damaged. Its windscreen was shattered.

According to a China Press report on March 16, the man was almost drowned when water gushed into the MPV.

He reportedly lost consciousness at one point, but was able to breathe on his own when the rescue team extricated him from the car.

He was then carried on a stretcher to the side of the river before being rushed to the Kota Tinggi Hospital for treatment.

In a statement on March 16, Kota Tinggi District Police Chief Hussin bin Zamora said the man, likely a tour guide, remains unconscious due to his heart injuries.

Police are still investigating the cause of the accident.

This incident came after a 28-year-old Singaporean man was found dead on March 12, days after his car plunged into a ravine in Penang.

A March 11 traffic accident in Sabah also claimed the lives of a 60-year-old Singaporean man and a Vietnamese woman. Four other Singaporeans were injured.

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This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.