Father & daughter visiting Penang killed when tree falls on their car in high winds

2 tourists in Penang die after tree crushes their car in high winds

On Wednesday (18 Sept), strong winds in Penang, Malaysia caused a large tree to fall in a museum parking lot, resulting in the deaths of two tourists who were seated in their car.

According to CCTV footage, the incident occurred at approximately 1.27pm.

The victims, a 69-year-old man and his 36-year-old daughter, had arrived from Heilongjiang, China just the day before and were on a three-day visit to Penang before planning to travel to Kuala Lumpur.

They were being driven around by a 52-year-old local woman, who was a friend of the family.

The accident happened as they were about to get into their Perodua Aruz SUV. The daughter had taken a moment to take a selfie in front of the car before entering.

Afterwards, she took her place in the front passenger seat, while her father sat in the back.

The car was stationary in its parking spot as another vehicle attempted to enter the museum’s lot.

Tree falls while car waits in parking lot

At the time of the incident, Penang was experiencing a storm, with high winds making it difficult for people carrying umbrellas.

Roughly a minute after the tourists entered their parked car, the wind intensified, causing an advertising board at the museum to topple.

Moments later, a large tree behind the cars was uprooted and fell, crushing three vehicles and covering half of the parking lot with its branches and foliage.

The 52-year-old driver, who was also in the vehicle, survived with minor injuries but was trapped inside. She began honking the horn urgently to call for help.

Museum staff and passers-by rushed to assist, but they could only reach the closest of the four MPVs.

The occupant of this vehicle had managed to avoid being crushed.

Firefighters spend 3 hours trying to rescue trapped occupants

The district fire department was notified at 2.19pm, and firefighters arrived six minutes later.

Over 40 rescuers, including a crane and police, worked to dismantle the tree and remove the driver-side door, successfully rescuing the driver from the car.

However, the rear seat and front passenger seat areas of the SUV were severely crushed, making it challenging for rescuers to reach the two Chinese tourists.

The family friend reported that the daughter was initially alive and even held her hand, but by the time firefighters were able to extract her, she was no longer responsive.

The rescue operation, hampered by limited space and heavy rain, lasted around three hours.

According to Bernama, the Penang Island City Council had announced plans two hours before the incident to fell 54 trees deemed at risk of falling in bad weather.

The tree-felling operation was scheduled to begin the following week and continue until mid-October 2024.

Also read: Man & pregnant wife rescued by passersby after tree falls onto car in M’sia

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Featured image adapted from Sin Chew Daily on Facebook and China Press.