Body recovered from waters near Woodlands Waterfront Jetty after worker’s fall

SINGAPORE: A tragic incident unfolded on Thursday (7 November) when a man fell into the waters near the Woodlands Waterfront Jetty. His body was recovered following a large-scale search-and-rescue operation.

According to Lianhe Zaobao, a worker, employed by a company responsible for cleaning marine debris, was reported missing around 10 am after completing tasks at the jetty.

Authorities suspect that the man may have fallen into the Johor Strait.

Following the report, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), in coordination with the Police Coast Guard and the Singapore Civil Defence Force, dispatched teams to the area to search for the missing man.

MPA later confirmed that a crew member aboard a flotsam retrieval craft had fallen into the water near the jetty.

Emergency vehicles, including a fire truck and an ambulance from the Singapore Civil Defence Force, were spotted at the entrance of Woodlands Waterfront Park, while search-and-rescue vessels from MPA and the Civil Defence Force were seen operating in the waters.

The MPA also issued a notice to nearby vessels, urging them to be on the lookout for any signs of the missing individual.

By 4.27 pm, a blue police tent was visible at the scene, indicating that the body had been recovered.

According to the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment’s National Action Strategy on Marine Litter (June 2022), flotsam refers to any floating object of significant size, such as tree trunks, plastic bottles, carcasses, drums, floating pontoons, and dead fish.

The MPA deploys nine flotsam clearance vessels daily to remove these objects and ensure the safety of navigation around Singapore’s waters, the document added.

Authorities are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.