Navy cancels 90th anniversary celebrations after helicopter crash

Defence minister Khaled Nordin being briefed about the helicopter crash at the Lumut naval base in Perak.

PETALING JAYA: The Royal Malaysian Navy’s 90th anniversary celebrations on Saturday will be cancelled following a crash involving two navy helicopters at the Lumut naval base in Perak.

“The celebration has been cancelled. We will organise prayers and a tahlil ceremony instead,” said defence minister Khaled Nordin during a press conference at the base.

“This is also in line with the wishes of the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, who is the navy’s captain-in-chief.”

A 21-second video of the incident that has gone viral on social media shows one helicopter crashing into the tail of another mid-air, and both diving to the ground.

Earlier today, Khaled said the helicopters crashed during a rehearsal for Saturday’s celebration.

In a statement, the navy confirmed that two helicopters, identified as models HOM (M503-3) and Fennec (M502-6), had collided and subsequently crashed in the 9.32am incident.

The navy said the 10 individuals on board the helicopters died in the crash, with the HOM (M503-3) helicopter carrying seven people and the remaining three aboard the Fennec (M502-6).

Khaled said the HOM M503-3 was procured in 2021 while the Fennec M502-6 was procured in 2003.

He added that in addition to the 10 officers who were killed in the crash, another officer sustained light injuries after being hit by debris at the naval base’s swimming pool.

Khaled said the victim was swimming when the incident happened.