During a training session at a naval base in Malaysia’s northern Perak state, two military helicopters collided and crashed. The incident occurred during rehearsals for the navy’s 90th anniversary celebration next month, according to a brief statement from the Royal Malaysian Navy.
Footage captured multiple helicopters flying in formation when one chopper’s rotor clipped another. Both aircraft crashed into the ground shortly after 9:30 am (1:30 am GMT) on Tuesday.
“All victims were confirmed dead on site,” a navy statement said, indicating that their remains have been transported to the hospital for identification. The AW139 maritime operation helicopter had seven crew members on board, according to the navy. AgustaWestland, a subsidiary of the Italian defense contractor Leonardo, manufactures this aircraft. Three additional crew members were on board the Fennec lightweight helicopter, which was built by Airbus, a multinational European defense conglomerate.
Local media sources claim that the AW139 crashed into a sports complex at the naval base while the Fennec crashed into a nearby swimming pool. The navy has announced an investigation to determine the cause of the accident.
In a separate statement, the Royal Malaysian Navy expressed condolences to the families of the victims: “Condolences to all the families of the victims of the accident involving two TLDM helicopters at TLDM Lumut Base today. May the victim’s families be given the strength to deal with this tragedy.”
In March, a Malaysian coast guard helicopter crashed into the sea off Malaysia’s Angsa Island during a training flight. Fishermen located and rescued the pilot, co-pilot, and two passengers.
