Emergency response: One of the first victims to be rescued being transported to seek medical treatment. — Bernama
KUALA LUMPUR: The Transport Ministry’s Air Accident Investigation Bureau will conduct further investigations into the helicopter crash in Cameron Highlands.
Transport Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong said the bureau’s investigation officers would also be asked to improve and maintain safety compliance inspections among private operators in the local aviation industry.
“They have to be more alert, especially considering the bad weather factor currently.
“I am monitoring the situation with updates provided by the CAAM (Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia) from time to time,” he said in a Facebook post yesterday.
Dr Wee said the pilot of the Airbus AS 355 F2 helicopter and the five passengers on board were found safe and taken to hospital.
In the 1.15pm incident, the helicopter, transporting a medical team, crashed while attempting an emergency landing in a forested area near Brinchang.
The aircraft, operated by Layang Layang Aerospace Sdn Bhd, had taken off from Kampung Gawin in Gua Musang, Kelantan, for Tanjung Rambutan, Perak, at 12.20pm.
Layang-Layang Group, in a statement reported by Bernama, said the aircraft was transporting medical personnel to Tanjung Rambutan after serving the rural area of Kampung Gawin when the aircraft lost contact with the company’s flight operations centre.
Group general manager Capt Shahdon Poong said the families of the victims had been notified and assistance would be given where needed.
“Following guidelines of the Aviation Safety Management System, Layang Layang Group is taking the necessary immediate action to mitigate further incidents and accidents,” he said.
He said the safety team would work closely with the Air Accident Investigation Bureau to determine the root cause of the accident.
