Perak police chief says helicopter pilot found dead at crash site

Rescue workers examining the crashed helicopter at the crash site. - Photo: CHIN FOON KHENG / The Star

TAPAH: The 58-year-old pilot was killed in the helicopter crash near Bidor, says Comm Datuk Mohd Yusri Hassan Basri.

The Perak police chief said the victim has been identified as Tsz Kin Richard Chan from Hong Kong.

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“The search-and-rescue (SAR) mission team found the helicopter and the pilot at around 9.30am in the Chikus Forest Reserve.

“The helicopter was found on the ground and the pilot was stuck inside the cockpit,”

“Based on our initial investigation, we did not find any traces of an explosion” he said in a press conference at the Bidor police station Monday (Sept 12).

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Comm Mohd Yusri said the police had informed the pilot’s family.

“The body was brought to SMK Anderson, Ipoh, via helicopter and brought to the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital for post mortem at 10.20am.

“We are securing the crash site to avoid any trespassing and the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) will conduct further investigations,” he said.

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Earlier, the SAR mission started at around 7.30am within 5km radius where the helicopter was last detected.

On Sunday (Sept 11), the helicopter, with a single pilot on board, was said to have lost contact with KLATCC at 12.16pm.

The aircraft took off from the Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in Subang at 11.37am for a private flight and was scheduled to land at the Sultan Azlan Shah Airport here at 12.37pm.

The helicopter model is a Eurocopter EC120B, registration marking N409HH operated by Heli Outpost Sdn Bhd.