Malaysian navy helicopters collide in mid-air, 10 killed
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[April 23, 2024]
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) -Two Malaysian navy helicopters collided
in mid-air during a rehearsal for a naval parade on Tuesday, killing all
10 crew members aboard, the navy said in a statement.
The incident occurred at the Lumut naval base in the western state of
Perak at 9.32 a.m. on Tuesday morning (0132 GMT), the navy said. |
Emergency personnel work at the site of a helicopter crash in Lumut,
Perak, Malaysia, April 23, 2024. Fire and Rescue Department of Malaysia
(FRDM)/Handout via REUTERS |
|
"All victims were confirmed dead at the scene and sent to the
Lumut naval base military hospital for identification," the navy
said.
A video circulating on local media showed several helicopters
flying in formation, when one of the choppers' rotor clipped
another before both aircraft crashed into the ground. Local
police confirmed the footage was genuine.
The navy said it would carry out an investigation into the cause
of the accident.
Defence Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin said the aircraft - a
maritime operations helicopter and a Fennec military chopper -
were rehearsing for a parade celebrating the 90th anniversary of
the Royal Malaysian Navy, due to be held on Saturday.
Efforts were underway to verify the identities of the crew
members killed, all of whom were below the age of 40, Mohamed
Khaled told reporters.
(Reporting by Rozanna Latiff and Mandy Leong; Editing by John
Mair and Lincoln Feast.)
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