RMAF plane crashes in Kuala Selangor, rescuer believed drowned

KUALA LUMPUR: A small Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) plane has crashed near a beach in Kuala Selangor, with all people on board surviving the incident, but a villager is believed to have drowned in the rescue.

The CN235 twin-engined aircraft reportedly left the Subang RMAF base Friday morning but had to make an "emergency landing" near Pantai Asam Jawa at about 8.40am.

The crash caused a fire on the plane with smoke that could be seen from distance.

However, all eight army officers on board the plane managed to escape unharmed and were rescued by local fishermen here.

RMAF confirmed the incident in a statement, adding that an investigation team has been put together to probe the cause of the crash and to recover the debris of the aircraft.

Shortly after the crash, RMAF, police and Fire and Rescue Department officers descended on the site to put out the fire and investigate what caused the engine to fail.

Police made another grisly find near the site – a village local who had drowned near the plane after getting his foot caught in the mud.

Cockle farmer Abu Hassan Abu Latiff, 57 passed away while being transported to the Tanjung Karang Hospital.

"We are unsure if he had also seen the plane crash and had tried to help. The only thing we know is that he was there and drowned during the incident," said Kuala Selangor OCPD Supt Ruslan Abdullah.