KUALA LUMPUR: 10 Malaysian military personnel on board two naval helicopters died after their choppers collided mid-air over a naval base in Lumut, Perak on Tuesday (Apr 23).
The Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) said in a statement that an HOM maritime operations helicopter and a Fennec helicopter crashed at 9.32am.
According to a message sent by the navy and seen by CNA, the helicopters took off at 9.03am. The HOM helicopter crashed on the steps of a stadium, while the Fennec helicopter crashed into a pool, the message said.
“All victims confirmed dead on the scene and sent to the Lumut Navy base armed forces hospital for process of identification,” the navy said, adding that seven crew members were on board the HOM helicopter, with another three on the Fennec helicopter.
When contacted by CNA, Perak police chief Mohd Yusri Hassan Basri confirmed that 10 people had died.
The training was part of rehearsals for the 90th Navy Day parade.
“The RMN will establish an investigation board to identify the cause of the incident,” it said.
Footage of the incident circulating on social media showed seven helicopters flying over the base in a loose formation. The camera then pans to a pair that had separated to the right.
The helicopters collided, the impact shooting out smoke and debris, before falling to the ground.
“The RMN urges the public not to share videos of the incident to preserve the sensitivities of the family and the investigation process,” it added.
Additional reporting by Ahmad Zamzahuri Abas and Rashvinjeet S Bedi
