ISKANDAR PUTERI: Authorities have successfully pulled out the wreckage of a police helicopter that crashed into Sungai Pulai at Gelang Patah here last week.
The recovery operation, involving multiple agencies, began early yesterday morning at the Gelang Patah Maritime Jetty, which is located some 27km away from Johor Baru.
Security at the area was tight, with only officers, personnel and registered members of the media allowed to enter the jetty.
Favourable weather conditions helped divers from the navy and marine police carry out the recovery.
The team of divers entered the river at around 9am and took a few hours to connect the wreckage to a crane vessel using cables.
The crane vessel then successfully hoisted the wreckage in stages before ferrying it to the jetty, accompanied by several marine police vessels.
The AS355N helicopter, bearing registration number 9M-PHG, was involved in an accident at about 10.15am on July 10 while participating in the Multilateral Nuclear Security Detection Exercise (Mitsatom) 2025.
The exercise, held at the same jetty, involved collaboration between Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Singapore.
The Eurocopter AS3555 Ecureuil known as ‘Squirrel’ crashed about 21m from the jetty while performing a mock exercise during the programme.
The training simulated a coordinated response to cross-border smuggling of radioactive and nuclear materials.
This marked the fourth Mitsatom exercise hosted by Malaysia, following the last session in Sabah in 2018.
The helicopter was transporting five people, comprising two senior police officers and three others, including the pilot from the police air wing and a policeman from the Tanjung Kupang police station.
The five were rescued within minutes of the crash, as many naval boats were stationed in the area to take part in the exercise.
They are Kons RG Devendran, Kpl Adeline Liu Yan Sin, helicopter pilot Asst Comm Faizul Muhammad, his co-pilot Supt Ahmad Bustamin Baharom and Sjn Siti Latipa Khairuddin.
Two of them have been discharged, while one was transferred to a hospital in Kuala Lumpur following a request from family members.
The remaining two are still receiving treatment at Hospital Sultanah Aminah in Johor Baru, with one of them in the intensive care unit.
Only close family members were allowed to visit.
Meanwhile, Bernama reported that Air Operations Force (PGU) commander under the Internal Security and Public Order Department, Datuk Noor Sham Md Jani said the wrecked helicopter would be transported to its base in Subang for further investigation.
He added that a detailed investigation will be carried out by the Air Accident Investigation Bureau.
“Cooperation among multiple agencies expedited the recovery process and will enable a more thorough investigation.”
On July 11, Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Mohd Khalid Ismail said investigations were in line with Part XXVI of the Civil Aviation Regulations 2016.
