Singaporeans hurt in Batam bridge collapse were Mendaki employees attending a retreat; 26 injured in total

SINGAPORE — The Singaporeans injured in Batam after a wooden bridge collapsed were staff members from Malay welfare organisation Mendaki.

In total, 24 employees had light injuries and were discharged as outpatients. Another two employees will seek further medical care in Singapore, Mendaki said in a press statement on Friday (Nov 8).

They were attending a retreat to discuss the work plans for next year when the incident happened on Thursday. 

The victims arrived back in Singapore on Friday morning.

Indonesian media outlet Sindonews.com reported that the Singaporean tourists were taking selfies on the 70m-long wooden bridge at the Montigo Bay Resorts in Nongsa, Batam, when it collapsed in the middle. It was earlier reported that 18 Singaporeans were injured but Mendaki has provided an updated figure. 

Mendaki said that it has contacted the next-of-kin of those injured, and thanked the resort’s staff members and the Singapore Consulate in Batam for their support and assistance.

Montigo Resorts is owned by Singapore's KOP Limited, a public listed company on the Singapore Exchange.

At the time of the incident, more than 30 tourists were on the bridge.

Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Thursday evening that it was aware of the incident, and its officers from the Consulate-General in Batam were at Bhayangkara Hospital to render consular assistance.