10 Killed in Collision Between Two Malaysian Military Helicopters
Two Malaysian military helicopters collided and crashed during a training session on Tuesday, resulting in the deaths of all 10 crew members, according to the country's rescue agency.
"The two helicopters collided during flight training. All 10 victims on board have been confirmed dead by medical officers," stated Suhaimy Mohamad Suhail, a senior operations commander from the fire and rescue department.
Footage circulating online showed several helicopters flying in formation at low altitude over the Lumut naval stadium during a flypast rehearsal ahead of the navy fleet's open day celebrations in May.
In the video, one of the helicopters appears to clip the rear rotor of another, leading both to enter a tailspin and crash.
The rescue agency reported that the two helicopters involved in the collision were a Eurocopter AS555SN Fennec and an AgustaWestland AW139.
Photos from the scene showed the Eurocopter heavily damaged in the wreckage on the track at the naval base stadium, with rescue personnel surrounding it and debris scattered around.
The AgustaWestland helicopter crashed in the swimming pool area at the naval base.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim expressed his condolences to the families of the victims, stating, "The nation mourns this tragic and heartrending loss."
"I have been informed that the Ministry of Defense, especially TLDM (Royal Malaysian Navy), will conduct an immediate investigation to determine the cause of the crash," he said.
Helicopter incidents are not uncommon in Malaysia.
Last month, a Malaysian Coast Guard helicopter crashed in the Strait of Malacca, fortunately with no fatalities.
In 2016, a deputy minister was among those killed when a Eurocopter AS350 crashed in the Malaysian state of Sarawak.
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