Article:
A tragic mid-air collision between two helicopters during a rehearsal for the Royal Malaysian Navy’s 90th-anniversary parade in Lumut has claimed the lives of 10 people. The incident occurred on Tuesday morning, sending shockwaves through the Malaysian Navy and the nation as a whole.
A video verified by Malaysia-based Buletin TV3 shows the moment of collision, where the front end of one helicopter struck the rear rotor of the other, causing both aircraft to spiral out of control and crash. As the helicopters plummeted to the ground, bystanders were heard exclaiming, “Allah, Allah, Allah.”
The Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN), also known as Tentera Laut Diraja Malaysia (TDLM), released a statement confirming the crash. It said that a Maritime Operations Helicopter (HOM-AW139) from the RMN FENNEC fleet crashed at the Lumut base at 9:32 am. The statement added that the incident involved a total of 10 personnel, including seven crew members from the HOM team and three from the FENNEC team. All personnel were taken to the RMN Lumut Base Hospital for medical treatment.
Despite initial reports of survivors, Senior Operations Commander from the fire and rescue department, Suhaimy Mohamad Suhail, told AFP that all 10 victims on board were confirmed dead by medical officers. The RMN announced it would establish an “Investigation Board” to determine the cause of the crash and urged the public to refrain from circulating videos of the incident out of respect for the victims’ families and to ensure the integrity of the investigation process.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim expressed his condolences on social media, saying, “The nation mourns the heart-wrenching and soul-wrenching tragedy involving the crash of two helicopters at Lumut TLDM Base today. Condolences to all the families of the victims and prayers for strength to face this calamity.” He further announced that the Ministry of Defense and TLDM would conduct a thorough investigation into the cause of the crash, concluding his message with a prayer for the victims and their families.
The tragic accident has cast a shadow over the Royal Malaysian Navy’s upcoming 90th-anniversary celebration and has left the nation in mourning. As the investigation unfolds, authorities will be working to understand what led to this devastating loss of life and ensure the safety of future operations.
