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On a whim, two teenagers decided to search for the remains of a World War II Japanese shrine and ended up lost for several hours in the MacRitchie Reservoir forest.
Broadrick Secondary School student Richard Goh, 14, learned about the Syonan Jinja Shrine while searching the internet for interesting places to explore last month.
When he told his classmate Soo Xiang Lin, also 14, they decided to take a bus to MacRitchie Reservoir to search for him and arrive at the entrance to Lornie Road at 3 p.m. on October 18.
The children, who did not inform their parents of their plan, had no food or water because they assumed there would be vending machines there.
Dressed in T-shirts, shorts and sneakers, they took the Terentang trail suggested by Apple Maps until they reached an opening, which they used to enter the forest.
By then it was five in the afternoon. They met a man who was also looking for the sanctuary, but soon gave up his search.
The boys moved on and realized they were lost at 6.45pm when their attempt to follow pieces of orange plastic tied to the surrounding trees led them deeper into the forest.
Richard told The New Paper last week: “I felt that sense of hopelessness when I realized we were lost.”
But Xiang Lin was hoping that they would be rescued. Hungry and thirsty, they called the police for help at 7.15pm.
The call manager told them to download the what3words location finder app to identify their exact location. They were also told to stay still and calm if they saw any animals.
Richard said, “I was afraid of wild boars and other animals, and I didn’t want them to eat me.”
Xiang Lin said, “I was more afraid that my mother would scold me.”
When they texted their parents about their plight, it was 8 p.m. and it was so dark they couldn’t see their hands.
About two hours later, the children heard people yelling and yelled back at them. They were found by Gurkha officers of the Singapore Police.
After checking them for injuries and asking about their ordeal, officers took the children into a boat where they were given water to drink. After the boat carried them to the main entrance, paramedics treated the minor cuts on their legs.
They later discovered that the officers were part of a team of around 50 people that included SCDF police and paramedics, as well as an unknown number of drones.
The boys were thankful that so many people went out of their way to find them.
Richard’s parents and Xiang Lin’s mother were waiting for them at the entrance, and it was almost 11 pm when they got home.
Xiang Lin’s mother, who wanted to be known only as Madam Lin, 42, a risk management consultant, said: “I was worried about bad things that would happen according to my imagination. I am happy and grateful to the Singapore Police for find my son “.
Police confirmed they received a call for help from two children at 7.16pm on October 18.
STAY ON THE TRAILS
Dr. Adrian Loo, Conservation Group Director for the National Parks Board, said: “We advise visitors on a nature discovery hike to wear comfortable shoes and a bottle of water.
“For their own safety, visitors to our nature reserves are reminded to stay on designated trails.”
He added that there are signs and guardrails to remind visitors not to stray from designated trails. Anyone caught doing it can be fined up to $ 2,000.
Hiking expert Hazleen Panayiotou said: “Do not panic if you are lost, stop walking more. Calm down, think, retrace your steps in your mind and plan your route back before walking: remember landmarks, follow the GPS or compass, get help by whistling or calling for help. “
Noting her fear of getting into trouble with her mother, Xiang Lin said, “I will inform my parents before going on such adventures in the future.”
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