Malaysia PM Anwar orders ‘thorough probe’ into fighter jet crash at Kuantan airport
The incident at the Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Airport is believed to be the first major crash involving an F/A-18D Hornet jet in Malaysia since it entered service.
Screengrabs of videos of the incident circulating online. (Photos: Facebook/Alert 5, Facebook/Warga Kuantan Official)
KUANTAN, Pahang: Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has called for a "thorough probe” into the crash of a Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) fighter jet at an airport in Kuantan, Pahang on Thursday (Aug 21) night even as he expressed concern for the two servicemen involved.
This is purportedly the first major crash involving the two-seat F/A-18D Hornet fighter jet since it entered service in 1997, local media reported.
No casualties were reported in the Thursday incident.
“The authorities are urged to conduct a thorough probe to identify the cause of the incident and ensure appropriate safety measures are taken,” Anwar said in a post on X on Friday morning.
He added: "I pray that both injured individuals are granted a speedy recovery and that all matters related to their treatment and well-being are made easier."
According to the RMAF, the incident involving the fighter jet occurred at about 9.05pm on the runway of Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Airport in Kuantan which shares facilities with the airbase.
Pahang police chief Yahaya Othman confirmed that both the pilot and the weapons system officer were safe, noting that the incident occurred during take-off.
“Both the pilot and co-pilot have been taken to Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital for (medical) examination,” Yahaya told local news agency Bernama.
According to the New Straits Times, the two servicemen - later identified on Friday as Mohamad Azhar Alang Kamarudin, 34, and 28-year-old Mohammad Izzudin Mohamad Salleh - managed to eject themselves from the cockpit before the crash.
In a statement on Thursday night, the RMAF said that immediate action is being taken and further updates on the incident will be announced in due course.
“The public is advised against circulating speculation or unverified reports,” it added, as quoted by Bernama.
Video footage circulating on social media showed the aircraft’s engine bursting into flames during take-off.
RESIDENTS HEARD ‘LOUDER THAN USUAL’ EXPLOSION
Some local residents in Kuantan reported hearing a loud explosion during the time of the crash.
“My residential area is very close to the Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Airport and we (residents) are quite used to hearing explosion-like sounds but this one is louder than usual,” 26-year-old Khairul Azli Syahmie Abdul Aziz told Berita Harian.
He noted that he usually hears loud noises even at night as the RMAF personnel conduct training exercises.
Khairul, who lives at Taman Pandan Perdana in Kuantan located about 2km away from the airport, said that his neighbours rushed to the site to find out what happened after hearing the loud explosion on Thursday night.
The RMAF operates a fleet of eight two-seat F/A-18D Hornets, acquired from McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) in 1997, reported Bernama.
While the RMAF’s Hornet aircraft has previously been involved in several incidents, the Thursday incident is understood to be the first time one of the jets had crashed.
In 2003, a Hornet skidded off the runway at Kuching International Airport in Sarawak after one of its tyres exploded. Both crew members safely ejected.
And in 2017, another Hornet made an emergency landing at the same airport after experiencing a landing gear malfunction.
Most recently in 2019, one such fighter jet experienced a turbine failure during take-off at the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace exhibition but managed to land safely on a single engine.
