BATAM: Twenty-six Singaporeans, all employees of self-help group Yayasan MENDAKI, were injured after a wooden bridge collapsed at Montigo Resorts on the Indonesian island of Batam, the organisation confirmed on Friday (Nov 8).
The staff members were on a company retreat to discuss work plans for the upcoming year, MENDAKI said.
MENDAKI staff at the Nongsapura ferry terminal in Batam before leaving for Singapore. (Photo: Aqil Haziq Mahmud)
Ambulances seen outside the Nongsapura ferry terminal in Batam. (Photo: Aqil Haziq Mahmud)
On Thursday, tourists were taking photos on the 70m-long bridge at the resort when the middle section of the bridge collapsed. More than 30 people fell into the ocean, Riau police official Erlangga had said.
The injured included the 26 MENDAKI employees, all Singaporean. Earlier reports said that 18 Singaporeans were injured.
“Twenty-four employees had light injuries and were discharged as outpatients. Two employees will seek further medical care in Singapore,” MENDAKI said, adding that the next-of-kin of those injured had been contacted.
A spokesperson from Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said earlier on Friday: “We are aware of the incident. Officers from the Consulate-General in Batam are at Bhayangkara Hospital to render consular assistance.”
More than 30 tourists fell into the sea when a wooden bridge at Montigo Resorts in Batam collapsed. (Photo: Facebook/Berita Batam)
INJURED SINGAPOREANS ON THEIR WAY BACK
At least four Singaporeans who were injured were on a ferry back to Singapore on Friday.
Two of the injured were seen by CNA on stretchers at the departure area of the Nongsapura ferry terminal in Batam. Another two were in wheelchairs. There were also two ambulances outside the terminal.
Ferry terminal staff confirmed that the two on stretchers were Singaporeans injured in the bridge collapse, and that they were due to take the 9am (10am Singapore time) ferry back to Singapore’s Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal.
“They were accompanied by doctors,” the staff member, who declined to be named, told CNA.
Over the next half an hour, dozens of tourists disembarked from three tour buses – one with a Montigo Resorts logo – and headed straight to the Batam Fast ferry ticket counter.
Among them were a man and a woman in wheelchairs. A representative from Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs greeted them as they disembarked.
“I think we are all okay,” one woman in the group told CNA. “It is a shock, of course. When a bridge falls, you will be shocked. Otherwise, we are all okay.”
Two other tourists declined to comment. A man who was on his computer seemingly handling administrative tasks said: “We were advised not to speak to the media.”
