Helicopter Crashes Minutes After Takeoff
Malaysia’s Civil Aviation Authority reported that the helicopter took off from the Tanjung Kupang police station at 9:51 AM but had to make an emergency landing due to a technical malfunction just minutes later. This landing resulted in the helicopter crashing into a river. Immediately after the crash, the Maritime Police Force rescued all five crew members and transferred them to a nearby Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency jetty. The Malaysian civil aviation regulator has launched an investigation into the matter.
30-Year-Old Helicopter Involved
The helicopter involved in the accident was a French-made Airbus AS355N model. The Civil Aviation Authority described it as a light utility single-rotor helicopter, produced from 1975 to 2016. This model is used globally by security forces, private charters, and corporate services. The Malaysian police reportedly received this helicopter in 1996. New tenders were issued in November 2023 to replace them.
Previous Helicopter Crash in the US
In April of this year, a helicopter crash occurred in New York, USA. The helicopter crashed into the Hudson River after a loss of control. All six people on board perished. The victims included Augustin Escobar, CEO of engineering firm Siemens, his wife, Mercedes Camperubi, and their three children.