Army to help search for crashed Hawk 108

KUALA LUMPUR: The army will join in the efforts to locate the Hawk 108 fighter jet that is believed to have crashed near a swampy area in Chukai, Terengganu, killing two pilots.

Army chief Jen Tan Sri Raja Mohamed Affandi Raja Mohamed Noor (pic) said the area has been identified and divided into grids to help search efforts.

"We plan to complete the search efforts by the first day of Hari Raya," he said at a press conference Friday.

At the same press conference, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said a detailed investigation will be launched to find the cause of the crash.

He said he owed it to the families of Mej Yazmi Mohamed Yusof, 39, and Mej Hasri Zahari, 31, to help them find closure.

"Their passing must not be in vain and the cause of the crash must be found.

"We need their families to know that they will always be part of the larger Armed Forces family," he said.

The Hawk 108 took off from the RMAF base in Kuantan at 11am on Thursday and disappeared from radar half and hour later.

The bodies of the pilots were found 53km north of the airbase at 2.30pm.

Search is ongoing for the wreckage of the plane.

Mej Yazmi, who was buried at the Titiwangsa Muslim Cemetery on Friday morning, leaves behind a wife and six children.

Mej Hasri was buried at the Felda Lui Muda Muslim Cemetery in Jempol, Negri Sembilan, and leaves behind a wife and a child.