KUCHING, April 23: A Sarawakian female navy personnel was among the 10 individuals tragically killed in a helicopter crash at the Lumut naval base in Perak this morning.
The I Love Borneo portal reported that the victim was identified as LK I JJM Joanna Felicia Rohna, 24, hailing from Kampung Sumpas Tampek in Jalan Batu 11 Serian.
She served as a member of the Public Security Agency Department under the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN).
According to national news reports, Perak police chief Datuk Seri Mohd Yusri Hassan Basri confirmed that 10 navy personnel, including three female naval personnel, lost their lives in the collision between a Eurocopter Fennec and AgustaWestland AW139 helicopters during a rehearsal for the 90th Navy Day Parade.
The tragedy involved crews from both the naval base in Lumut and Kota Kinabalu.
Mohd Yusri said the bodies of the 10 crew members have been identified and will be sent to the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital in Ipoh for a post-mortem.
Joanna was among the seven crew members aboard the AgustaWestland AW139.
The others were Commander Muhammad Firdaus Ramli, Lieutenant Commander Wan Rezaudeen Kamal, Lieutenant Commander Mohamad Amirulfaris Mohamad Marzukhi, Muhammad Faisol Tamadun, Noorfarahimi Mohd Seady, and Noor Rahiza Anuar.
The three crew members aboard the Eurocopter Fennec were Commander Muhamad Amir Mohamad, Lieutenant T Sivasutan, and Mohd Sharizan Mohd Termizi.
Earlier today, a video of the incident appeared to show one of the helicopters clipping the tail rotor of the other aircraft before the two crashed.
An investigation of the incident is being led by the Navy, with assistance from the Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) Malaysia and police. — DayakDaily
