Two Malaysian Navy choppers collided mid-air while they were conducting a rehearsal for a naval parade, leaving at least 10 crew members dead on Tuesday, media reports said.
The incident occurred at the Lumut naval base in the western state of Perak at 9:32 am (local time), the navy said in a statement as quoted by CNN.
“All victims were confirmed dead at the scene and sent to the Lumut naval base military hospital for identification,” the navy said.
The Navy will investigate the cause of the collision.
Defence Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin said the incident left the nation ‘shocked’.
“Today the country was shocked by a sad incident when 2 Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) helicopters crashed at the Lumut RMN Base,” the Minister wrote on X.
“This incident occurred during the TLDM Day Parade at 9.32am involving 2 TLDM helicopters of the Maritime Operation Helicopter type (HOM-AW139) and a FENNEC helicopter,” the Minister said.
He said: “Personally, and on behalf of the entire Ministry of Defense and ATM, I express my condolences to the families of the TLDM members involved. Let us together offer prayers and memories for all the families of the victims. May they be given the strength to face this heaviest challenge.”