Two Malaysian military helicopters collided mid-air and crashed during a training session, reportedly killing all 10 people on board.

“The helicopters were rehearsing at a naval base in northern Perak state for the navy’s 90th anniversary celebration when the accident occurred, the navy said in a brief statement,” the Associated Press reports.

“All victims were confirmed dead on site,” the statement said.

Footage of the incident is circulating on social media.

WATCH:

From the Associated Press:

A video circulating on social media purported to be of the incident shows several helicopters flying low in a formation. One of the helicopters veers sideways and clips the rotor of another helicopter, causing both to plunge and crash. A local police officer, who declined to be named because he isn’t authorized to speak to the media, confirmed the footage is genuine.

The two choppers were mangled beyond recognition. Rescue workers sifted through the debris to find the bodies. The victims included three women and seven men aged between 26 and 41, authorities said.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said the nation mourned over the “heart and soul-wrenching tragedy.” He said the navy will immediately carry out an investigation to find the cause of the incident.

Seven of the dead crew members were aboard an AW139 maritime operations helicopter, the navy said. That aircraft is produced by AgustaWestland, a subsidiary of the Italian defense contractor Leonardo. The other three were on a Fennec lightweight helicopter, manufactured by European multinational defense conglomerate Airbus.

Defense Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin said that the anniversary celebration this Saturday will be cancelled and replaced with Friday prayers for the victims.

WATCH:

NBC News noted:

Local media reported that the AW139 crashed at a sports complex at the naval base, while the Fennec hit a nearby swimming pool.

The navy said it will launch an investigation to determine what caused the accident.

Join The Conversation. Leave a Comment.


We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.