Medical personnel and pilot dead in fiery accident in northern Sarawak
KUCHING: Five people were killed when a Flying Doctor Service (FDS) helicopter crashed near the Long Lellang STOLport (short take-off and landing airport) in the Marudi district in northern Sarawak.
The pilot, a medical officer, an assistant medical officer and two nurses were all killed.
Initial information from the Miri Airport Fire and Rescue Services (AFRS) indicated that the helicopter, which took off from Miri, crashed near the end of the airstrip at Long Lellang.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) confirmed the incident, saying that a BO-105 helicopter with the registration number 9M-LLF crashed near the STOLport. CAAM received notification of the crash at 3.58pm.
“The Air Accident Investigation Bureau, under the Transport Ministry, will investigate the incident,” it said.
The Long Lellang STOLport, about 310km from Miri, serves the rural area of Long Lellang, including some of Sarawak’s most remote Kelabit and Penan communities. The STOLport is located next to Long Lellang village.
A video that has gone viral shows a helicopter with its engine on fire before crashing.
Sarawak police commissioner Comm Datuk Mohamad Zainal Abdullah said a search and rescue team had been deployed to the crash site, which was in a remote location about 10 hours’ drive from Marudi.
“Air services by helicopter cannot be used at the moment because of hazy conditions, and the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) has not permitted flights from the Kuching police air base.
“The search and rescue operation currently depends on assistance from local villagers, Rela personnel and Long Lellang STOLport auxiliary police,” he said in a statement.
“The helicopter belonged to a private company and was hired for a Flying Doctor Service to Ba Lai, Long Siut and Long Lellang,” he added.
