THE SUV that plunged into the sea from the Penang Bridge following a crash has been retrieved and the body of the driver extricated.

Bernama reported that firefighters and other recovery personnel hauled up the 1.5 tonne vehicle at 6.07pm today, after efforts to retrieve it were hampered by choppy waters since the accident on Sunday.

The body of the driver, 20-year-old student Moey Yun Peng, was removed from the SUV at 6.36pm, and brought to Seberang Jaya Hospital’s Forensic Department at 6.50pm.

A member of the recovery team told The Star: “We had to wait until the tide was at its lowest and the current slowed down before we could safely dive in and strap the car.”

The vehicle was submerged at a depth of 15m, about 15m from where it went over the bridge’s barrier.

The SUV was involved in a collision with another vehicle at 2.54am on Sunday.

It was reported yesterday that police said the 21-year-old driver of the other car tested positive for marijuana, and investigations are ongoing. – January 22, 2019.