SHAH ALAM: Two RMN helicopters – a Fennec and an AW139 – crashed following a mid-air collision during a training flight at the Lumut airbase this morning. Pictures of the crash helicopter revealed that the two helicopters are M502-06 (Eurocopter Fennec) and M503-3, the Leonardo AW139, with the RMN designation of Maritime Operations Helicopter (MOH).
The two helicopters and four others were flying in formation as part of the air display/fly-past for the 90th RMN anniversary to be held at the Lumut naval base this Saturday. The formation had taken off from the Sitiawan airfield at 9.03am.
RMN in a press release confirmed the incident which it said occurred at 9.32am. It said all personnel on board the two helicopters – 7 in the AW139 and three in the Fennec – were killed in the incident. Those who died are identified as:
TLDM mengesahkan 10 orang iaitu masing-masing 7 kru HOM TLDM dan 3 kru Fennec TLDM telah terkorban dan nama-nama mereka adalah seperti berikut:
a. Pesawat HOM (M503-3) – 4 orang kru dan 3 penumpang:
(1) Komander Muhammad Firdaus bin Ramli TLDM – Pegawai Memerintah Skuadron 503.
(2) Leftenan Komander Wan Rezaudeen Kamal bin Wan Zainal Abidin TLDM.
(3) Leftenan Komander Mohammad Amirulfaris bin Mohamad Marzukhi TLDM.
(4) Pegawai Waran II TLR (AQM) Muhammad Faisol bin Tamadun.
(5) Pegawai Waran II TNL Noorfarahimi binti Mohd Saedy (Penumpang).
(6) Bintara Muda TNL Noor Rahiza binti Anuar (Penumpang).
(7) Laskar Kelas I JJM Joanna Felicia anak Rohna (Penumpang).
b. Pesawat Fennec (M502-6) – 3 orang kru:
(1) Komander Muhamad Amir bin Mohamad TLDM – Pegawai Memerintah Skuadron 502.
(2) Leftenan Sivasutan a/l Thanjappan TLDM.
(3) Pegawai Waran II TMK Mohd Shahrizan bin Mohd Termizi.
This is the biggest loss of life for the RMN in a single incident in recent memory. A board of inquiry has been set up to investigate the incident which killed the commanding officers of both the 502 and 503 squadrons. Both officers were on board, separately, in the two helicopters of their command.
Defence Minister DS Khaled Nordin announced in Lumut this afternoon that all events – including Open Days – planned this weekend to celebrate the RMN 90th anniversary this Saturday, has been cancelled. The parade at Lumut naval base which the two helicopters were training for was also cancelled.
–Malaysian Defence
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Sadly this is the 2nd AW139 crash in Malaysia this year.
From the videos, it looks like the AW139 MOH did not keep track of the AS555 Fennec that is slightly in front and above them, and turning tighter than them, causing the mid-air collision.
Condolences to all that involved in the accident.
Latest information
Helicopter involved :
1) AS555 Fennec M502-6
3 crews including the 502 Squadron commander
2) AW139 MOH M503-3
7 crews including the 503 Squadron commander
There are no survivors.
yes it was the M502-06
Oh no! Is the 139 one of the leased MOH?
Innalillahiwainnailaihirojiun
Al Fatihah
waste of assets and lives just for air display ..
Wait a minute..If Im not mistaken M502-03 (Fennec) is the aicraft that crash-landed in 2021 right? Is that meant that aircraft already repaired and participated in this raptai?
Salute.
R.I.P.
No, it was 06. My mistake.
No, the MOH were bought outright, not leased.
Official TLDM manifest of the crews of the 2 helicopters
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GL1eEU3aAAAREWY.jpg
Again condolences to all that perished, their families, and TLDM for this difficult moment. Hopefully there will be lessons learnt out of this tragedy, so that their sacrifices will not be in vain.
rip
people dying needlessly for a vanity show really get into my nerve.
My heartfelt condolences to all the families and the armed forces. May their souls rest in peace. It is likely an investigation will be conducted soon.
Oh wow and that MOH is practically brand new only 1+ year old. Such a loss.
As I mentioned before, we dont have a lot of chopper assets and then these kinda frequent accidents & losses (inc that MMEA one) are such a waste of taxpayer millions to buy them.
Again lets hope their blackboxes can shed light what happen and its revealed to the public & what is the actions to ensure it never happens again. Accidents during maneuvers for parades are such an unnecessary loss.
The BOI would have to ask serious questions about how there was a full load of crew on the Aw 139. Joy rides, and incentive rides happen, but where did the brain fart to put a full load on an Aw 139 when at most a pilot co pilot and observer were needed is well worth asking for a display flight.
1. Who deviated from the flight plan and display profile will have to be determined by the BOI .
2. Whether it was the AW or the Fennec is part of the swiss cheese holes of disaster theory. It should not have happened in bright daylight with 100% visibility , Someone lost SA very badly.
3. The AW 139 being the outside man in the break might have been out of position but the Fennec had primary responsibility to keep sight and keep position relatively to the outside slot in the break.
4. The BOI should look at the underlying safety culture
The AW 139 climbed from below and hit the Fennec, The latter had no idea where the AW, Noticed both are flying toward the morning sun .. maybe the AW lost sight of the Fennec blinded by the Sun ??
@ Yap EK
3. The AW 139 being the outside man in the break might have been out of position but the Fennec had primary responsibility to keep sight and keep position relatively to the outside slot in the break.
From the video, it can be seen that the AW139 is behind and slightly below the fennec, and IMO it is the AW139 responsibility to keep track of the whereabouts of the fennec.
Also the fennec turn radius is tighter than the AW139 causing their paths to cross. But still as the helicopter behind, the AW139 should have the opportunity to avoid, as the fennec does not have visibility to what is happening behind them.
Anyway lets wait for the results of the accident inquiry, abd hopefully it will be made public.
@ mofaz
” maybe the AW lost sight of the Fennec blinded by the Sun ?? ”
That is also a possibility, as the AW139 rotor blades hit the fennec tail from below. But the AW139 has 4 crews inside (other than the 3 passengers) that should have eyes outside tracking the location of other helicopters in the formation.
It must be said that RMN had stated that this was the third evolution of the same display that had been done for the parade.
Is confirm the 3 girls RMN personals are to experience sit inside the helicopter.
I not sure is this a correct SOP but this is something should be review because it involves not a private asset.
It is not confirmed.
We can only speculate on the deceased. Or rather lets not.
Oh i didn’t know the augusta were carrying 7 persons during training. For what actually? Sightseeing/joyride? What a tragic loss. If the investigators found the passengers were not supposed to be in the helos this could cause some unforeseen complications. A military asset paid by the taxpayers should not be treated as such.
The AW139 HOM usually flies with three or four crew members. Apart from the flight crew- two pilots and the quartermaster – one of the dead was also pilot, he could be there as a check pilot or observer. The three passengers were RMN personnel.
As the CO was onboard the helicopter, he would have given permission for the three passengers to fly with them. The flight they were onboard is a routine fly-past for the RMN anniversary parade which is done every year.
Qamarul – “If the investigators found the passengers were not supposed to be in the helos this could cause some unforeseen complications”
Are you saying that the passengers were a factor that led to the disaster? As for the asset being paid for by the taxpayers and it shouldn’t be treated as such; treated like how exactly? The dust has barely settled [to use a cliche]; 10 are dead; let’s not pass judgment or make unverified claims. Let’s keep the assumptions in check shall we?
BTW the last collision we had was the pair of Nuris in Sarawak years ago. (in Sabah actually, Editor)
Alex – “people dying needlessly for a vanity show really get into my nerve”
Excuse me. Are you saying that flypasts in conjunction with anniversaries or other things are driven by pure ‘vanity’? Since when?
IINM planes have collision alert and will warn if too close to another, i wonder if such system were available on these choppers and might have been avoidable if the pilots were alerted by it? Who knows…
Azlan-Are you saying that the passengers were a factor that led to the disaster? As for the asset being paid for by the taxpayers and it shouldn’t be treated as such; treated like how exactly? The dust has barely settled [to use a cliche]; 10 are dead; let’s not pass judgment or make unverified claims. Let’s keep the assumptions in check shall we?
Agreed we shall not make anymore assumptions forgive my behavior. But what i meant was just like a passenger not supposed to be in a 747 cockpits during flights. Its the same thing. There are safety rules in place for that & for good reason.
@azlan you mean a flypast that has nothing to do with exercise,patrol, land/sea surveillance,mercy flight, SAR/CSAR, cargo transport, not even VIP transport is not vanity? Is that not vanity? Wasting fuel is one thing now they’re wasting assets and human lives
They are not in the cockpit but in the cabin.
Alex – ”Wasting fuel is one thing now they’re wasting assets and human lives”
Call it what you want but it’s not ”vanity” [look for a more suitable word]. Also parades/flypasts are an ingrained part of military culture. A few years ago someone was daft enough to suggest that to save costs the military does away with its walking out/dress uniforms and only sticks to working/camo ones.
Alex – ”now they’re wasting assets and human lives”
Had the crash not occurred you wouldn’t be up in arms signing this tune. Anyhow do write to the relevant channels to make them see the logic you see.
Qamarul – ”But what i meant was just like a passenger not supposed to be in a 747 cockpits during flights. ”
Ok but do you know for a fact that the non crews were not supposed to be there?
azlan you’re trying to downplay both the ridiculousness of these vanities and human lives that were lost to pedanticism, “tradition”, “what you gonna do about it” and “speak to the hand” kind of attitude so who’s the daft one here?
At least during merdeka parade or LIMA the airshow can be used as tourist attraction and can boost local and national economy. This is a semi-closed event to impress the admirals, generals and politicians how is this not vanity?
Alex – ”azlan you’re trying to downplay ”
Really? What do I gain? I’m not ”downplaying” anything; merely disagreeing with you and pointing out that parades/flypasts are ingrained in military culture.
Alex – ”so who’s the daft one here?”
Who? You? Ok. Why get so defensive when I mentioned a past proposal made years ago …
Alex – ”how is this not vanity?
Then do something about it. Contact the relevant channel and make them see the error of their ways.
Alex – ”human lives that were”
No I didn’t downplay the human lives that were lost and nothing I’ve said/implied indicated so.
Azlan it’s one thing to disagree but when you actively defending a corruptible practises and pass it off as “tradition” your kind is the reason why Malaysia will never fulfill its potential. I have lost any shred of respect towards you, despite calling yourself as ex servicemen you actively wanted to downplay this tragedy and silence people who didn’t share your opinion
Alex – ”Azlan it’s one thing to disagree but when you actively defending a corruptible practises”
Here’s a new one. Now I’m ”defending a corruptible practises and pass it off as “tradition”? First it was ”vanity” [itself not the right word] now it’s ‘corruptible practises”. Make up your mind. And yes disagree or not [no skin off my back] flypasts/parades are part and parcel of military culture. They’re not for cosmetics or for fun.
Alex – ”your kind is the reason why Malaysia will never fulfill its potential”
Err what about ‘you kind”?
Alex – ”despite calling yourself as ex servicemen you actively wanted to downplay this tragedy and silence people who didn’t share your opinion”
– When did I call myself an ”ex servicemen”? When and where?
– I’m not downplaying anything or ”silencing” you [you give yourself too much credit]; merely disagreeing with you.
– I never asked for your respect and couldn’t give two hoots what you thought.
– Perhaps instead of gong off tangent and getting emotional take the time to actually understand the argument.
Some of the details of a full investigation into how a similar accident occured
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFwoExC__MQ
He said he has served on the vospers
https://www.malaysiandefence.com/one-ex-us-coast-guard-cutter-coming-part-2/#comment-889418
Ask anyone who’s ever served on them – as I have – and they’ll tell you what a lovely experience it was being in one and being caught in a rough storm