Two Malaysian navy helicopters collided in mid-air during a rehearsal for a naval parade on Tuesday, killing all 10 crew members aboard, the navy announced in a statement. The incident took place at the Lumut naval base in the western state of Perak at 9:32 am local time on Tuesday, according to a statement released by the navy.
A video circulating on local media showed several helicopters flying in formation, with one of the aircraft's rotors colliding with another before both helicopters crashed to the ground. Local police confirmed the authenticity of the video, and Malaysia's navy announced that it would launch an investigation into the cause of the accident.
Chilling Moment Mid-Air
"All victims were confirmed dead at the scene and sent to the Lumut Naval Base military hospital for identification," according to the statement.
The helicopters involved were identified as a Eurocopter AS555SN Fennec lightweight helicopter carrying three crew members and an AW139 maritime operation helicopter with seven people onboard, as stated by the navy.
The AW139 is manufactured by AgustaWestland, a subsidiary of the Italian defense contractor Leonardo. The Fennec is produced by the European multinational defense conglomerate Airbus.
Local media reported that the AW139 crashed at a sports complex within the naval base, while the Fennec struck a nearby swimming pool. Photographs showed the heavily damaged Fennec wreckage on the naval base stadium track, with rescue personnel and scattered debris visible in the vicinity.
Defense Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin said that the two aircraft were rehearsing for a parade commemorating the 90th anniversary of the Royal Malaysian Navy, scheduled for Saturday.
Mohamed Khaled told reporters that efforts were underway to confirm the identities of the crew members who were killed, all of whom were under the age of 40.
Tragedy Ahead of Celebrations
Malaysia's Prime Minister, Anwar Ibrahim, extended his condolences to the families of the victims, expressing that "the nation mourns the heart-wrenching and soul-wrenching tragedy."
"I was informed that an immediate investigation will be carried out by the Ministry of Defense, especially TLDM (Royal Malaysian Navy), to find the cause of the crash," he said.
Helicopter incidents are not unusual in the Southeast Asian nation. Last month, a Malaysian coast guard helicopter crashed in the Strait of Malacca, fortunately resulting in no fatalities.
In 2016, a deputy minister was among those who lost their lives after a Eurocopter AS350 crashed in the Malaysian state of Sarawak.
