Khaled says govt not suspending service of Fennec, HOM helicopters after crashes

KUALA TERENGGANU: Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said the government has no plans to temporarily suspend the service of Fennec and HOM helicopters.

“So far it’s not in that direction (temporary suspension),” he told reporters after completing the handover of ‘Rumah Kasih Ihsan’ at Kampung Dusun Tembakau in Manir, near here today.

Mohamed Khaled said this when asked if there was a need to suspend the services of both types of helicopters following the crash on Tuesday morning involving the Maritime Operations Helicopter (HOM-AW139) and Fennec helicopter (M502-6) at the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) base in Lumut, Perak which killed 10 RMN officers and personnel including three women.

All the remains of the crew who died in the crash had been laid to rest with the last body, Lieutenant T Sivasutan, 31, cremated at the Manjung Hindu Sabha Sanathana Dharma Ashram Crematorium Centre in Sitiawan at 12.15pm on Thursday.

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In the meantime, Mohamed Khaled confirmed that the wreckage of the two aircraft, including the black box, had already been removed from the scene of the incident, on Thursday.

“I was informed that everything has been moved to the place where the investigation is being carried out,” he said.

Mohamed Khaled said the investigation into the incident conducted by an Investigation Board established by RMN will also involve the Royal Malaysian Air Force and other experts including the helicopter manufacturers.

In addition, he also did not rule out the possibility that the investigation would involve external experts.

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