Ten killed after Malaysian military helicopters collide mid-air during navy parade rehearsal
The two helicopters collided into each other around half an hour after taking off from their Lumut airbase, as part of rehearsals for the 90th Navy Day parade.
Footage circulating on social media showed the Royal Malaysian Navy's HOM and Fennec helicopters colliding mid-air over a naval base in Perak on Apr 23, 2024.
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KUALA LUMPUR: Ten Malaysian military personnel on board two naval helicopters died after their choppers collided mid-air over a naval base in Lumut, Perak on Tuesday (Apr 23).
The Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) said in a statement that an HOM maritime operations helicopter and a Fennec helicopter crashed at 9.32am.
According to a message sent by the navy and seen by CNA, the helicopters took off at 9.03am. The HOM helicopter crashed on the steps of a stadium, while the Fennec helicopter crashed into a pool, the message said.
"All victims confirmed dead on the scene and sent to the Lumut Navy base armed forces hospital for process of identification," the navy said, adding that seven crew members were on board the HOM helicopter, with another three on the Fennec helicopter.
When contacted by CNA, Perak police chief Mohd Yusri Hassan Basri confirmed that 10 people had died.
The training was part of rehearsals for the 90th Navy Day parade.
"The RMN will establish an investigation board to identify the cause of the incident," it said.
Defence Minister Khaled Nordin told local media that the helicopters were training for the third time for the parade.
Mr Khaled said there were no other victims involved as the helicopters crashed into a pool and an empty stadium.
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
