PUTRAJAYA: The Cabinet has extended its condolences to the families of the five victims killed in the Flying Doctor Service helicopter crash in Long Lellang, Sarawak.
Communications Minister Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Cabinet members conveyed their sympathies to the victims' families during the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday (Sept 9).
“The Prime Minister and Cabinet extended their condolences to the families of the five victims of the Flying Doctor helicopter crash in Long Lellang, Sarawak, on Tuesday (Sept 8),” he told a press conference here after the meeting.
Investigations into the crash are ongoing and are being carried out by the Air Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) under the Transport Ministry.
Fahmi said the five victims had been identified and their next of kin informed, as previously announced by the Health Minister.
Asked what assistance would be provided to the families, Fahmi said the matter had not been presented during the Cabinet meeting.
He said he would refer the question on additional assistance for the victims' next of kin to the Health Minister.
The BO-105 helicopter, bearing registration number 9M-LLF, crashed near the Long Lellang Short Take-Off and Landing (STOL) airport on Tuesday (Sept 8).
Separately, Fahmi said the Cabinet was informed of the deployment of a Malaysian DNA expert team to Nepal to assist in identifying Malaysian victims following the recent disaster there.
Malaysia had earlier said it was awaiting approval from the Nepalese government to deploy the DNA experts to assist in the identification process.
Fahmi said further details on the deployment could be obtained from Wisma Putra.
