Two Malaysian navy helicopters collided mid-air during a rehearsal, killing 10 crew members

During a rehearsal of the Royal Malaysian Navy parade in Lumut, a tragic incident occurred on Tuesday as two helicopters collided mid-air, resulting in the loss of 10 lives. Verified footage from Malaysia-based Buletin TV3 depicts the collision, wherein the front end of one helicopter struck the rear rotor of the other, causing both aircraft to plummet.

The helicopters are seen going into a tailspin and crash. People can also be heard saying, “Allah, Allah, Allah” in the video.

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Royal Malaysian Navy Statement on Helicopter Collision

In a statement, the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN), also known as TDLM, said the Maritime Operations Helicopter (HOM-AW139) from the RMN FENNEC fleet crashed at the RMN’s Lumut base at 9:32am.

It added, “This incident involved a total of 10 personnel, including 7 crew members from the RMN HOM team and 3 from the FENNEC team. All personnel involved were rescued at the scene and taken to the RMN Lumut Base Hospital for medical treatment.”

Senior operations commander from the fire and rescue department Suhaimy Mohamad Suhail said to AFP, “The two helicopters collided during flight training. All 10 victims on board have been confirmed dead by the medical officers.”

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Investigation and Condolences Following Helicopters Collision

The release further added that the RMN will be setting up an “Investigation Board” in order to determine the cause of the incident. It said, “The RMN requests the public not to circulate any videos of the event to ensure the privacy of the families and the investigation process.”

As reported by AP, when the accident occurred, the helicopters were training in the northern Perak state’s naval base for RMN’s 90th-anniversary celebration next month.

In a heartfelt message on X, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim expressed condolences following the tragic collision of two helicopters at Lumut TLDM Base. He conveyed deep sympathy to the families of the victims, acknowledging the profound impact of the incident on both the Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM) and the nation. An immediate investigation by the Ministry of Defense, particularly TLDM, is underway to determine the cause of the crash. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim concluded with prayers for the departed souls, asking for their sins to be forgiven and for them to find peace in the presence of God.

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