GEORGE TOWN, Jan 21 — Search operations for the white sports utility vehicle (SUV) that plunged into the sea off Penang Bridge yesterday resumed at 7am today.

A total of 14 divers have been roped in for the operation, which also includes assistance from the Malaysia Region Search & Rescue (MRSC) Langkawi along with the Maritime Enforcement Agency, Marine Police, Royal Malaysian Navy, Fire and Rescue Department and Civil Defence Department.

"Nine divers from the KD Duyong team from the Royal Malaysian Navy were also in the SAR operations,” SAR coordinator First Admiral Maritime Rozali Mohd Said told reporters.

"The search is divided into four sectors based on the different assets involved and the search area covered about two nautical miles radius from the location of the incident,” he added.

He urged members of the public who saw any debris or signs of the car in the area to immediately inform the authorities by calling the 24-hour hotline MERS 999 or the Penang Maritime Operations Centre at 04-2626146.

Early yesterday, a collision between two cars on the Penang Bridge caused the white SUV to crash through the guard rail and plunge into the sea.

In the 2.50am incident at KM4 of the bridge, college student Moey Yun Peng, 20, was reportedly behind the wheels of the SUV that plunged into the sea.

The other vehicle, a Toyota Vios, was found heavily damaged on the bridge and its 21-year-old driver was sent to the hospital for injuries sustained in the accident.

SAR operations was launched for the SUV on Sunday and was called off at 7pm last night.