In distress, then ‘joy ride’

GEORGE TOWN: They were stranded on Penang Hill for more than 48 hours, holed up in a hotel and faced with partial water shortage and electricity.

But for a group of yoga retreat participants, the hardship mattered less than the gratitude they felt for the many individuals who hiked up the hill to provide them with necessary supplies since Sunday.

S. Kaliammal, 62, said they were well cared for by the Bellevue Hotel staff and were provided with three meals a day.

“I’m still in a daze from the experience but thankful for all the efforts made to ease our hardship,” she said after being rescued yesterday.

The housewife said of her helicopter ride to safety: “I never expected my first helicopter ride to be a rescue mission.”

The experience did not deter her, though.

“I would definitely go up Penang Hill again.”

A total 31 of them, including five children, were transported in stages on a Fire and Rescue Department helicopter to the state Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) base in Rifle Range. All of them made it safely there by 2.38pm yesterday.

Another 12 individuals, alongside rescuers, hiked down a trail and arrived at the hill’s lower station at around 3.30pm.

All of them received medical attention from the Penang Hospital and attended to by staff of the Social Welfare Department at the Caring Society Complex in Jalan Utama.

For S. Chitra Devi, 47, she only realised that they were stranded when they were about to check-out from the hotel. They had just completed the two-day one-night retreat by Sahaja Yoga group.

Father of two, M. Kumaresan Mariadas, 37, said residents nearby were helpful and offered food to the group.

The Maliia Bakery chief executive officer joined the retreat with his wife and daughters Isabel Liisa Mariadas, six, and Nicole Anable Mariadas, four.

Both girls were seen playing with their cousins P. Nirmadha, four, and family friend Harresh Chandran, eight, while two-year-old V. Vikashni slept.

The five children enjoyed the helicopter ride, saying “it was a very exciting experience”.

George Town OCPD Asst Comm Anuar Omar said the helicopter was utilised due to the landslide and fallen trees around the hill.

“The victims were stranded at the top as they were not able to take the funicular train as it was out of order,” he said during a press conference at the FRU base.

Earlier, Penang Hill Corporation general manager L. L. Cheok told the press that the rescue team reached the top at around 11.20am.

“They managed to clear space for the helicopter to land near the Governor’s Bungalow.”

The team comprised more than 60 personnel from the Penang Hill Corporation, the Civil Defence Force (APM), Fire and Rescue Department, Royal Malay Regiment, St. John’s Ambulance, Air Putih constituency service centre and volunteers.