GEORGE TOWN: A 37-year-old housewife from Butterworth miraculously survived despite falling off the Penang Bridge into waters here yesterday.
Motorists who witnessed her falling at 5.30pm alerted the authorities.
The police responded by sending in a marine police rescue craft, who were assisted by local fishermen in the area off Jelutong.
Following a search and rescue (SAR) operation of almost five hours, at 10pm the police received a call from a member of the public who found the woman in waters near the Straits Quay shopping promenade, almost nine nautical miles from the place where she fell off.
An emergency team then rushed to the area and retrieved the woman from the waters before she was taken to the Penang Hospital for treatment. She was reported to be in stable condition, with jellyfish stings on her hands and palms.
Northeast district police head ACP Che Zaimani Che Awang said that initial statements recorded from the woman indicated that she had stopped her vehicle at Km6.8 (island-bound) because she wanted to take a rest.
After parking her vehicle she proceeded to sit on the pillars of the bridge when a sudden gush of wind destabilised her, resulting in her fall.
“The woman is believed to be suffering from depression following the passing of her mother 16 days ago,“ said Che Zaimani.
The woman managed to stay afloat and followed the currents which took her to the Straits Quay area where the waters were calmer.
Che Zaimani said that the woman would be detained to facilitate investigation.
She will be investigated under Section 309 of the Penal Code, where a person could be punished to a year imprisonment, a fine or both, for attempting suicide.
