KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – A tragic incident occurred on Tuesday when two Malaysian navy helicopters collided mid-air during a rehearsal for an upcoming naval parade. The accident, which took place at Lumut naval base in the western state of Perak around 9:32 a.m. local time, resulted in the death of all 10 crew members on board, as confirmed by the navy.
The unfortunate victims were declared dead at the crash site and were subsequently transported to the Lumut naval base military hospital for identification. A video that has been circulating on local media platforms depicts several helicopters flying in formation before one helicopter’s rotor clipped another, leading to the catastrophic crash. Local authorities have confirmed the authenticity of the footage.
The navy has pledged to carry out a thorough investigation to ascertain the cause of the collision. Defense Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin revealed that the helicopters involved were a maritime operations helicopter and a Fennec military chopper. They were both partaking in rehearsals for a parade set to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the Royal Malaysian Navy, scheduled for Saturday.
The process of identifying the deceased crew members, all of whom were under 40 years of age, is currently ongoing, the Defense Minister informed reporters.