Kuala Lumpur: Ten people were killed after two helicopters crashed during practice for the Naval Parade on Tuesday, as per the Royal Malaysian Navy.
The unfortunate event took place at a naval installation in the state of Northern Perak during a rehearsal for their impending 90th-anniversary celebration.
Reportedly, the accident involved two helicopters and the crash resulted in the death of all crew members on board. As per a statement from the Malaysian Navy, all the victims were confirmed dead on the site and they added that the remains of the deceased have been transported to the hospital for identification purposes.
As per the Malaysian Navy, the AW139 maritime operation helicopter, manufactured by AgustaWestland, a subsidiary of the Italian defence contractor Leonardo, was carrying seven crew members at the time of the incident. Additionally, three other crew members were aboard a Fennec lightweight helicopter, produced by Airbus, a European multinational defence conglomerate.
Malaysian Defence Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin told the reporters that the Fennec helicopter and the marine operations helicopter were practising for Saturday’s Royal Malaysian Navy 90th anniversary parade. Khaled told reporters that efforts were being made to confirm the identities of the crew members who perished, all of whom were under 40.
As per TOI, some reports from local media outlets suggest that the AW139 crashed at a sports complex within the naval base, while the Fennec collided with a nearby swimming pool. The two choppers were mangled beyond recognition. Rescue workers sifted through the debris to find the bodies. The victims included three women and seven men aged between 26 and 41, authorities said.
According to the navy, seven of the crew members who perished were on an AW139 maritime operations helicopter. The two helicopters were incomprehensibly damaged. To locate the bodies, rescue personnel picked through the rubble. Authorities claimed that among the victims were seven men and three women, ages 26 to 41.
The manufacturer of that aircraft, AgustaWestland, is a division of Leonardo, an Italian defence contractor. The other three were riding in a lightweight Fennec chopper produced by the multinational European defence company Airbus. Friday prayers for the victims will take the place of this Saturday’s anniversary celebration, according to Defense Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin.
The two helicopters were incomprehensibly damaged. To locate the bodies, rescue personnel picked through the rubble. According to an AP story, the victims were seven males and three women between the ages of 26 and 41. According to Khaled, seven helicopters were practising when the crash happened. One flew onto an abandoned athletic field, and the other plummeted into a neighbouring swimming pool. He also mentioned that a swimmer was hurt when he was struck by flying debris.
