GEORGE TOWN: Yesterday marked the 32nd anniversary of the collapse of the Sultan Abdul Halim Ferry Terminal bridge in Butterworth.
However, for survivors of the tragedy, memories of what happened on that fateful evening of July 31, 1988, are still fresh and will remain so for a very long time.
For housewife Alice Mary Albert Rajoo, 45, it seemed like only yesterday thatthe tragedy struck. She was only a 13-year-old girl then.
Alice Mary, along with her parents and four siblings—two girls and two boys—were at the ferry terminal bridge waiting for their ferry ride to the island after attending the annual St Anne's Feast in Bukit Mertajam.
"The memory is still fresh in my mind.Idon't think I will ever forget it for as long as I live. Every year, during the St Anne's Feast, my family and I are reminded of the tragedy.
"I remembered it was 5pm. The crowd was extremely large, something which I had never seen before. Many did not queue up to buy tickets and instead jumped the queue to the ferry waiting area. There was a lot of pushing and jostling.
"We were all standing and waiting for our ride whenthe terminal bridge collapsed right in front of our eyes. The sound was so loud. Almost instantly, everyone panicked and were scrambling for safety while screaming and crying at the same time.
"The whole place was like an earthquake scene. Scores of people were lying on the ground, some with severe injuries, calling out for help in faint voices. There was blood everywhere. I remember seeing an injured baby. I am not sure if the baby made it out alive.
"I also saw how the ferry's propeller severed the leg of one of the victims who fell into the sea," she said in an interview with the New Straits Times.
Alice Mary said in the ensuing chaos, they lost sight of her 10-year-old brother, Norris Albert Rajoo, who was walking ahead of them.
She recalled how her parents guided her and her other siblings to a safe place to wait while they went in search of Norris.
At that time, those standing on the rubble fell onto the road and the cars below, which were waiting for the ferry.
"We were all scared and in tears then while waiting for our parents. It took forever before they finally came back, minus Norris. I remember how my parents were crying frantically, fearing that they had lost Norris.
"It must have been the worst day of their lives when they were asked to go to where all the corpses were placed to see if Norris was there. Luckily, he was not among the corpses. They were then told to check at hospitals if there were any missing family members.
"Norris must have fallen when the rubble gave way because my parents finally found him at the Penang Hospital the following day.
"He suffered from a broken left leg. Until now, we have no idea who took him to the hospital. However, we are grateful to the Samaritan for saving Norris."
Alice Mary said the rescue boats finally came about 2am the following morning and they safely reached the island side at 4am, all hungry and in a state of dizziness.
To this day, Alice Mary is scared to ride on the ferry, even by car.
"I rarely take the ferry after the incident.
"It took us months of sleepless nights before we managed to overcome the trauma. For me, the trauma was so great that I could hear the screams of the victims months after the tragedy.
"As for Norris, ittook him about a year before he was able to walk again," she added.
Married with two children now, Alice Mary said the tragedy had brought the family closer than ever.
Every year, without fail, the family goes for the annual St Anne's Feast, now minus their father and a sister who died from a heart attack and an unexpected illness respectively.
"We have a lot to be thankful for. At least, we made it out alive.
"Until today, our family is keeping the Mother Mary photo we bought during the St Anne's Feast on that fateful day. Mother Mary had saved us from the dangerous situation," she said.
Thirty-two lives were lost and 1,634 people were injured in the disaster, which was blamed on overcrowding.
Built in 1956, the ferry terminal bridge could not withstand the weight of the large crowd..
It was reported that the columns were made of reinforced concrete and floor of thick boards.
The floor beams, fencing and walls, made of dense steel, covered the passageway for vehicles beneath. However, on that day the beams buckled and snapped, resulting in the floorboards collapsing.
The steel walls and roof also caved in, with several passengers crushed by columns and platform boards. Vehicles beneath were crushed.
On July 31, 1988, there were two simultaneous festivals — the Kwan Yin Goddess Festival in George Town and the St Anne's Feast in Bukit Mertajam — which saw a very large crowd.
The Kwan Yin festival was reportedly a once-in-60-years event, prompting tourists from Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore to also flock to Penang for the auspicious occasion.
With thousands of people moving from Butterworth to Penang Island on that day, it resulted in the huge crowd gathering at the jetty.
There were reports that about 10,000 people were standing on the bridge moments before tragedy struck.
The bridge has since been rebuilt with several modifications to ensure no recurrence of the incident.
Today, 32 years after the tragedy, the rebuilt Sultan Abdul Halim bridge is standing stronger than ever.
These days, however, people prefer to drive on the Penang Bridge to get to the island.