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.
In a statement released on the day of the incident, Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim sent his condolences to the families of the victims.
“This tragedy turned out to have a profound effect on the families of the Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM) and a great loss for the country.
I was informed that an immediate investigation will be carried out by the Ministry of Defense, specifically TLDM, to find the cause of the crash,” he said.
Malaysia’s king Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar also offered his condolences in a Facebook post on Tuesday, calling those who died “national heroes”.
“I also want the Malaysian Armed Forces to conduct a thorough investigation to get the fullest information regarding this incident,” he wrote.
Additional reporting by Ahmad Zamzahuri Abas and Rashvinjeet S Bedi
