SPF Officers Rescued 3 Lost Women at Night from Clementi Forest

By
Rae Woo
-

Can’t go travelling to other countries because of the COVID-19 pandemic?

Well, then go explore places you’ve never been to in Singapore, most people will tell you, especially those on TikTok.

Bukit Timah Railway? East Coast Park? Pffft, everyone goes there.

Many hidden nature spots have been brought into the limelight following more and more videos of Singaporeans going hiking in various nature reserves you’ve probably not heard of before.

While it’s good to discover more of Singapore’s beautiful nature, not only should one always respect the flora and fauna, but also never forget that safety is always key.

3 Hikers Saved Out Of Forest By Police

Three women found themselves trapped in Clementi Forest, not knowing the way out one night.

On the evening of 3 Aug, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) received a call for assistance at about 7:37pm from three hikers in the forest who were lost.

The three women were reportedly aged between 35 to 47 years old, and had apparently been exploring the Railway Corridor before straying into Clementi Forest.

While walking, it turned unexpectedly dark, with no lights in the forest whatsoever, and they had no idea where they were or where they had come from.

So, they decided to call the police to rescue them.

Despite dispatching officers to look for the hikers immediately, the officers had to search for their exact whereabouts which even they did not know.

They were successfully rescued and brought out of the forest at 8:55pm, more than an hour after their report.

Fortunately, all three of them did not sustain any injuries.

Netizen Vitor Hong posted a video on the Singapore Hikers Facebook group, saying that he happened to pass by the area when the rescue team arrived.

He witnessed a long line of police cars with many officers around it at the side of the road, which attracted the attention of various passersby.

Always Be Careful In The Forest

In case you’re not familiar with Clementi Forest, it’s different from the nature reserves most people might be more well-acquainted with, with clear walking paths and signs.

Nope, the Clementi Forest just looks like Tarzan’s ready to swing out at you at any moment.

Unlike nature reserves or parks, these forests aren’t managed at all for public access and recreational purposes – it’s as wild as it’s gonna get.

Without any paths or walkways, the ground can be very uneven and dangerous to walk on.

Additionally, the presence of regrown vegetation such as trees could pose safety threats as well, for the branches of these trees could snap and fall onto the ground – or anyone walking by.

I can hear everyone cursing at the popularity of TikTok now, for it’s what had made all these hidden nature spots known to the general public.

Several rare species of flora and fauna, such as the rare Dienia ophrydis and Zeuxine clandestina orchids, are also at risk of being endangered due to the huge rise in hikers coming to the forest.

Visitors to these areas should always exercise caution and be mindful of the dangers for their own personal safety, National Parks Board and the Singapore Land Authority warned back in February.

Moral of the story? Safety first, before following trends. After all, trends will fade like all these trends:

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Featured Image: Facebook (NParks) 

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Rae Woo
Email: [email protected]