PETALING JAYA: The last time Kamarudin Salleh saw his daughter Dr Ainul Baroah Kamarudin, who was among those on board the tragic helicopter crash in Sarawak, was two days before the incident.
Retired teacher Kamarudin, 69, said his daughter had returned to their hometown in Kampung Baung in Pengkalan Chepa, Kelantan during the school holidays before she headed back to Sarawak for work on Sunday (Sept 6).
“As usual, she was smiling and did not talk much. When she came back, she spent time with family and relatives,” he was quoted as saying in Sinar Harian.
Kamarudin said he received the tragic news from his in-law at around 5pm on Tuesday (Sept 8).
“I received the call after the Asar prayer. He mentioned having bad news two to three times and when I asked what it was, he told me my daughter’s helicopter had gone up in flames.
“At that point, we still had not received confirmation about my 32-year-old daughter. It was later that my in-law told me my daughter had passed away,” he said.
He added that Dr Ainul Baroah had served at Hospital Miri, Sarawak for close to two years after being stationed at Tanah Merah for about two years prior.
He said his late daughter’s duties in Sarawak involved monitoring patients in several areas including Baram, which required travel by helicopter at least once a week.
Dr Ainul Baroah is one of five passengers aboard the BO-105 helicopter that crashed at around 3.40pm on Tuesday.
Her sister-in-law Nureez Mohd Pauzi, confirmed her death in a Facebook post following the crash.
Earlier, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad Dzukefly confirmed that four ministry personnel and one pilot were on board the helicopter.
The healthcare personnel were part of the Flying Doctor Service programme.
