Body of missing passenger recovered

MIRI: The body of the missing passenger of the helicopter that crashed into the South China Sea off Bintulu has been found in the cabin, still strapped to his seat. 

The body of Aewan Faslasaini Sallehin, 22, from Kuala Baram, here, was recovered at 2.25pm yesterday. 

Bintulu police chief ACP Sulaiman Abdul Razak said the body would be sent to the Bintulu Hospital. 

Aewan Faslasaini was a technical staff attached to subcontractor Dejtech Sdn Bhd. 

Head of Petronas Carigali Moris Mail (second left) talking to the survivors ofthe helicopter crash at the Bintulu Hospital on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, the Super Puma L2 helicopter, owned by Malaysia Helicopter Services, left here at 1.08pm heading for the D18 platform when it crashed at 2.45pm. Seven offshore workers and two pilots managed to escape and were later rescued. 

Petronas has released the names of the survivors. They are: MHS pilot Capt Abdullah Ishak, MHS first officer Capt Tham Quang Thiet, Dejtech staff Daniel Jerome Juan, Petronas employees Affendy Abdul Rahman, Douglas Akang, Ravi Kumbong, Markson Leju, Sazali Shamsuddin and Harry Sidadum. 

All received outpatient treatment at the hospital and were sent to the Miri Petronas headquarters, to be interviewed by its senior management. 

The helicopter, which had been “belly up” in the sea, was intact although some parts of its outer body were broken. However, at 7pm, it sank to the bottom of the sea and could not be salvaged, navy sources said.  

Survivors told The Star that they saw smoke billowing from the outside before thick smoke penetrated the entire cabin and pilot compartment. The aircraft crashed shortly after.  

“The pilot tried to land on the oilrig, but could not. He managed to somehow ensure that the helicopter did not plunge head down into the ocean. If not for the pilots, it would have been more tragic. 

“The pilot ensured that the helicopter landed on the sea surface without any major impact. There was no explosion,” said a survivor.