JOHOR BARU: Two senior police officers are among five people injured when a police helicopter crashed into Sungai Pulai during a mock nuclear training exercise here.
The officers with the rank of Assistant Commissioner and Superintendent, along with three other personnel, were sent to Hospital Sultanah Aminah shortly after the 10.25am incident yesterday.
A security official said the Eurocopter AS3555 Ecureuil known as “Squirrel” crashed about 21m from the jetty while performing a mock exercise, which was attended by personnel from Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand.
The five were rescued within minutes of the crash as there were many naval boats stationed in the area for the exercise.
“It can be considered a miracle that they were rescued promptly before the wreckage submerged,” the official said, adding that a detailed investigation was being carried out to determine the cause of the crash.
The victims comprise three men and two women.
Following the crash, the exercise was put on hold and the area was cordoned off.
Accidental plunge: debris from the copter crash seen at Sungai Pulaiin Gelang Patah, Johor. — Bernama
The helicopter was part of the Malaysia-Indonesia-Thailand-Singapore Nuclear Security Detection Exercise (Mitsatom) held in Johor.
The training exercise is to simulate a coordinated response to the cross-border smuggling of radioactive and nuclear materials.
The exercise marks the fourth Mitsatom exercise hosted by Malaysia following the last session in Sabah in 2018.
Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Mohd Khalid Ismail said the incident occurred soon after the helicopter took off from the Tanjung Kupang police station at 9.51am.
He said the helicopter was transporting five people comprising two senior officers and three others, including the pilot from the police air wing and a policeman from the station.
“The Air Accident Investigation Bureau under the Transport Ministry will carry out further investigations, in line with Part XXVI of the Civil Aviation Regulations 2016,” he said in a statement.
Mohd Khalid also expressed his gratitude to all the agencies involved for their effort in coordinating and carrying out the rescue operation.
(Below) Police personnel rushing to rescue thevictims of the copter crash. — Bernama
He urged the public not to make any speculation or to share videos of the incident, which could hamper investigations.
Since last year, there have been at least three other major incidents involving helicopters.
In February this year, a Bell 206L-4 Long Ranger helicopter caught fire while landing at Jalan Lama Kuala Lumpur-Bentong, Pahang, resulting in the death of one individual and the rescue of another.
Last June, three army officers were injured after an M81-11 (Agusta A109 LOH) military helicopter made an emergency landing during a night air exercise in Kluang, Johor.
In April last year, 10 crew members were killed when two helicopters collided during training at the naval base in Lumut, Perak.
