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Cable car tragedy survivor returns to Sentosa after 25 years

Rogue Trader

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25 years after cable car horror, he returns to Sentosa

20111010.172306_st_cablecar.jpg


By Benita Aw Yeong

The New Paper
Tuesday, Oct 11, 2011


It has been 28 years since Singapore's cable car tragedy claimed seven lives.

But not a day passes without the freak accident haunting 36-year-old Jagjit Singh.

"I think about it every day, and when I drive past the cable cars, I automatically turn to look.

"My mind tries to figure out at which point along the line they fell," says the owner of an events company, who also dabbles in acting.

It was around 6pm in the evening of January 29, 1983, and the group of seven had just spent a fun-filled day at Sentosa.

Not long after they got into a cable car heading out of Sentosa towards Mount Faber, it began swinging wildly.

"We looked out of the window, and saw the cable car ahead of us also swaying wildly. That was when I knew something was wrong," says Mr Singh, who is married with two children aged five and nine.

The next thing he knew, the cabin spun twice completely around the main cable, flinging the door of the car open.

In an instant, his uncle, Mr Mahinder Singh, 44, and grandmother, Madam Pritam Kaur, 60, fell through the door and down into churning waters below.

Madam Pritam had been holding on to Mr Singh's 22-month-old cousin Tasvinder.

After falling 56m into the Singapore harbour, only Tasvinder, out of the three, survived.

About 10 hours later, Mr Singh and the remaining three members of his family were rescued by officers from the Singapore Air Force Rescue Squadron, who arrived in helicopters.

Mr Singh's recollections are hazy at this point. He had fainted in the cabin during the ordeal.

At the time, the entire nation watched the live television broadcast of the accident's aftermath and subsequent rescue with bated breath.

A mixture of relief and grief emerged when reports confirmed that 13 people were rescued from four suspended cabins, while seven lost their lives.

Investigations later revealed that the accident occurred because an oil-drilling ship that was being towed out to sea had broken loose from its tugboats.

Its drilling rig, which was 68m tall, hit the main cable car line, causing two cabins to dislodge and plunge into the sea, while leaving four others suspended until rescue officers arrived.

A Presidential Commission of Inquiry absolved the cable car system of blame and it was judged to be sound and operable.

Subsequently, ships taller than 52m were barred from entering Keppel Harbour.

Laser height sensors and stringent entry procedures for ships between 48m and 52m in height were also implemented after the accident.

But instead of feeling grateful to be alive, Mr Singh only felt guilt.

The excursion to Sentosa was organised in a bid to lift the then Primary 3 pupil's spirits. And if not for him, his uncle and grandmother could be alive today, he explains.

"I had not been fitting in well at school, and one of the teachers suggested that a change of scenery might be good for me.

"So my family decided to organise an outing to Sentosa, which at that time was an 'in' place to go," says Mr Singh.

"I wish I was better prepared...I wish I could have done more," he adds, with tears in his eyes. The loss brought immense grief because he and his uncle were especially close.

"I was sent to live with my uncle and aunt, who were childless, when I was just 40 days old.

"I had lived with them in their home growing up and they were like my real parents. They doted on me very much and I called them 'papa' and 'mama'," he says.

After the incident, he moved back to live with his biological parents, although he was quick to add that his aunt never blamed him for her husband's death.

Mr Singh says the incident changed him in more ways than one.

The self-confessed softie admits that some things which "other guys may brush off" hits him close to the heart.

"When I'm on the road and I see an accident happen, I feel pity for that person. I've also become a little less selfish and self-centred," he says.

After the incident, he also developed a fear for water and avoided visiting Sentosa for many years.

"Every time the car I was in drove over a bridge under which there was water I would start screaming.

"I used to be afraid of water and I used to hate the sea," he says.

It was finally his love of acting that drew him back to Sentosa.

He returned to the island when given the opportunity to audition for a part in Songs of the Sea, a musical attraction.

"When I first stepped into Sentosa after 25 years, I experienced many flashbacks about the incident and my family."

In 2008, he landed the part of an unnamed friend to Li, the main character in the 25-minute musical.

"It (returning to Sentosa) made me uncomfortable, but I managed to put that aside and focus on my acting," he says.

Indeed, acting helped in healing the emotional wounds he suffered in the tragedy.

"When I act, everything else in my mind fades away and it helps me overcome my fears.

"When you love something that much, it becomes your healing mechanism," he says.

In addition to acting part-time and performing at Siloso Beach once or twice a week, Mr Singh runs his events company and teaches event deejaying to secondary school students on a project basis.

While he believes the memory of the incident will never fade, it now serves a deeper purpose - to inspire and encourage his students.

"My story reminds them that life is short, and if I, having gone through what I did, can make something out of my own life, I don't see why they can't," he says.

"My story reminds them that life is short, and if I, having gone through what I did, can make something out of my own life, I don't see why they can't."

[email protected]


This article was first published in The New Paper.
 
Last edited:

red amoeba

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is he this guy:

[h=1]Singapore Cable Car disaster[/h]From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


The Singapore Cable Carcableway, photographed in 2003​


An accident on the Singapore Cable Car system occurred at about 6 p.m. on 29 January 1983, when the derrick of the Eniwetok, a Panamanian-registered oil rig, passed under the aerial ropeway and struck the cable that stretched over the waterway between the Jardine Steps Station and the Sentosa Station. As a result, two cabins plunged 55 metres into the sea, killing seven people. The oil rig was being towed away from Keppel Wharf when it became entangled in the cable and caused it to snap. It also left 13 people trapped in four other cabins between Mount Faber and Sentosa. The accident was the first involving death or injury since the cable car system opened in February 1974.

[h=2][edit]Rescue operations[/h]The Singapore Police Force, the Singapore Fire Service (now Singapore Civil Defence Force) and all three services of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) were involved in the all-night rescue operation. It was headed by Mr Philip Yeo, the then Second Permanent Secretary (Defence). The overall operation was directed by Colonel (now Prime Minister) Lee Hsien Loong, Chief of Staff (SAF General Staff).
There were fears that the oil rig could drift further and cause more damage. The problem was worsened by a combination of strong currents and the rising tide (high tide was at 11 pm). To prevent the rig from moving, four tugs put lines aboard and worked to and fro in the water to keep the drillship Eniwetok steady in the water.
The Naval Diving Unit of the Republic of Singapore Navy was assigned to conduct the underwater search for the passengers in the two cabins which had plunged into the sea. It took the unit three hours before they recovered four bodies from the cabins.
On land, the Army established an operations HQ and medical facilities at the wharf-side.
In the air, the 120 Squadron of Republic of Singapore Air Force was tasked to rescue the people who were still trapped in the four cabins, as the cabins could not be moved along the remaining cables. Though an extremely risky measure, it was considered the fastest and safest way as the cabins might plunge into the sea at any moment.
The first Bell 212 Twin-Huey Search and rescue helicopter from the squadron (call sign Rescue One Zero) was piloted by Lieutenant Kao Yit Chee, fitted with floodlights, approached the first stranded cabin and despite the strong winds and danger, the winchman – Lance Corporal Phua Kim Hai was winched down. He was blown off on the first attempt but on the second attempt, he reached the door of the cabin, unlocked it and went inside. He came out with the first passenger strapped to his body by a harness. The winch pulled both of them to safety.
The riskiest rescues were undertaken by a Royal Australian Navy Lieutenant Geoff Ledger (now a Commodore[SUP][1][/SUP]), who was on loan to RSAF to help train helicopter pilots. Despite the windy condition encountered above the harbour and the strong downwash of the rescue helicopter's main rotors, he managed to pilot the second Bell 212 rescue helicopter (call sign Rescue One One) close above the cars to allow winchman Lance Corporal Selvanathan Selvarajoo (now a Master Warrant Officer (MWO)[SUP][2][/SUP] in RSAF's 125 Squadron[SUP][2][/SUP]) to enter two cabins hanging only by their towline.[SUP][3][/SUP][SUP][4][/SUP] Overall, the entire rescue mission took three and a half hours of risky hovering in pitch black darkness and high wind conditions to accomplish.
[h=2][edit]Aftermath[/h]A Commission of Inquiry was appointed by the President of the Republic of Singapore on 5 February 1983 into the accident. The Commission conducted the Inquiry in public for 55 days from 23 May to 12 August 1983 and submitted its report[SUP][5][/SUP] on 30 December 1983. The Commission made recommendations for appropriate safety measures to be taken to prevent a similar occurrence in the future.
[h=3][edit]Survivors[/h]
50px-Question_book-new.svg.png
This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged andremoved. <small>(May 2011)</small>

<tbody>
</tbody>

A well known survivor (only to be known as Mr Singh)[SUP][clarification needed][/SUP] a cast member from Songs of the Sea, survived the incident when he was 5 years old. He had fear of returning to Sentosa after the incident which affected his life. In late 2006, he was asked to join the cast of Songs of the Sea, which he initially refused but accepted after much consideration. Mr Singh is now one of the longest acting cast members.[SUP][citation needed][/SUP]
 

RonRon

Alfrescian
Loyal
It has been 28 years since Lee Hsien Loong saved his life from cable car tragedy

The New Paper
Tuesday, Oct 11, 2011



20111011.120257_cable_430.jpg



It has been 28 years since Singapore's cable car tragedy claimed seven lives.

But not a day passes without the freak accident haunting 36-year-old Jagjit Singh.

"I think about it every day, and when I drive past the cable cars, I automatically turn to look.

"My mind tries to figure out at which point along the line they fell," says the owner of an events company, who also dabbles in acting.

It was around 6pm in the evening of January 29, 1983, and the group of seven had just spent a fun-filled day at Sentosa.

Not long after they got into a cable car heading out of Sentosa towards Mount Faber, it began swinging wildly.

"We looked out of the window, and saw the cable car ahead of us also swaying wildly. That was when I knew something was wrong," says Mr Singh, who is married with two children aged five and nine.

The next thing he knew, the cabin spun twice completely around the main cable, flinging the door of the car open.

In an instant, his uncle, Mr Mahinder Singh, 44, and grandmother, Madam Pritam Kaur, 60, fell through the door and down into churning waters below.

Madam Pritam had been holding on to Mr Singh's 22-month-old cousin Tasvinder.

After falling 56m into the Singapore harbour, only Tasvinder, out of the three, survived.

About 10 hours later, Mr Singh and the remaining three members of his family were rescued by officers from the Singapore Air Force Rescue Squadron, who arrived in helicopters.

Mr Singh's recollections are hazy at this point. He had fainted in the cabin during the ordeal.

At the time, the entire nation watched the live television broadcast of the accident's aftermath and subsequent rescue with bated breath.

A mixture of relief and grief emerged when reports confirmed that 13 people were rescued from four suspended cabins, while seven lost their lives.

Investigations later revealed that the accident occurred because an oil-drilling ship that was being towed out to sea had broken loose from its tugboats.

Its drilling rig, which was 68m tall, hit the main cable car line, causing two cabins to dislodge and plunge into the sea, while leaving four others suspended until rescue officers arrived.

A Presidential Commission of Inquiry absolved the cable car system of blame and it was judged to be sound and operable.

Subsequently, ships taller than 52m were barred from entering Keppel Harbour.

Laser height sensors and stringent entry procedures for ships between 48m and 52m in height were also implemented after the accident.

But instead of feeling grateful to be alive, Mr Singh only felt guilt.

The excursion to Sentosa was organised in a bid to lift the then Primary 3 pupil's spirits. And if not for him, his uncle and grandmother could be alive today, he explains.

"I had not been fitting in well at school, and one of the teachers suggested that a change of scenery might be good for me.

"So my family decided to organise an outing to Sentosa, which at that time was an 'in' place to go," says Mr Singh.

"I wish I was better prepared...I wish I could have done more," he adds, with tears in his eyes. The loss brought immense grief because he and his uncle were especially close.

"I was sent to live with my uncle and aunt, who were childless, when I was just 40 days old.

"I had lived with them in their home growing up and they were like my real parents. They doted on me very much and I called them 'papa' and 'mama'," he says.

After the incident, he moved back to live with his biological parents, although he was quick to add that his aunt never blamed him for her husband's death.

Mr Singh says the incident changed him in more ways than one.

The self-confessed softie admits that some things which "other guys may brush off" hits him close to the heart.


"When I'm on the road and I see an accident happen, I feel pity for that person. I've also become a little less selfish and self-centred," he says.

After the incident, he also developed a fear for water and avoided visiting Sentosa for many years.

"Every time the car I was in drove over a bridge under which there was water I would start screaming.

"I used to be afraid of water and I used to hate the sea," he says.

It was finally his love of acting that drew him back to Sentosa.

He returned to the island when given the opportunity to audition for a part in Songs of the Sea, a musical attraction.

"When I first stepped into Sentosa after 25 years, I experienced many flashbacks about the incident and my family."

In 2008, he landed the part of an unnamed friend to Li, the main character in the 25-minute musical.

"It (returning to Sentosa) made me uncomfortable, but I managed to put that aside and focus on my acting," he says.

Indeed, acting helped in healing the emotional wounds he suffered in the tragedy.

"When I act, everything else in my mind fades away and it helps me overcome my fears.

"When you love something that much, it becomes your healing mechanism," he says.

In addition to acting part-time and performing at Siloso Beach once or twice a week, Mr Singh runs his events company and teaches event deejaying to secondary school students on a project basis.

While he believes the memory of the incident will never fade, it now serves a deeper purpose - to inspire and encourage his students.

"My story reminds them that life is short, and if I, having gone through what I did, can make something out of my own life, I don't see why they can't," he says.

"My story reminds them that life is short, and if I, having gone through what I did, can make something out of my own life, I don't see why they can't."

[email protected]
 

halsey02

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
>It was headed by Mr Philip Yeo, the then Second Permanent Secretary (Defence). The overall operation was directed by Colonel (now Prime Minister) Lee Hsien Loong, Chief of Staff (SAF General Staff)>

Three cheers for these two brilliant guy, never mind the helicopter was flow by an Aussie!!:biggrin: Three Cheers!!:wink:
 
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