GEORGE TOWN, Jan 22 — The Mazda sports utility vehicle (SUV) that crashed through the barriers of the Penang Bridge two days ago with its driver inside was lifted from the sea at 5.50pm today.

The badly damaged vehicle was slowly hoisted onto the bridge by rescue workers using a crane.

The Mazda CX5 SUV that plunged into the sea from the Penang Bridge on January 20, 2019, is recovered on January 22, 2019. — Picture by Sayuti Zainudin
The Mazda CX5 SUV that plunged into the sea from the Penang Bridge on January 20, 2019, is recovered on January 22, 2019. — Picture by Sayuti Zainudin

A group of divers had been testing the water currents since this morning before they could start recovery efforts at 4pm today.

There was at least one failed attempt in which the cables tied to the SUV broke.

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It was finally raised using four cables attached to a crane.

The body of the driver, Moey Yun Peng, 20, was still pinned to the driver’s seat of the badly damaged vehicle.

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The recovery team on the bridge then extricated Moey’s body from the vehicle before it was sent to Seberang Jaya Hospital for a post-mortem.

Scores of curious onlookers gathered to witness the recovery operation.

The SUV plunged into the sea on Sunday morning after a collision with another car at KM4 of the bridge while heading to the mainland.

The SUV was found about 15m from the crash site at 4pm yesterday but efforts to bring up the car failed due to strong currents and low visibility.