Tragedy struck during a military rehearsal for a Royal Malaysian Navy parade as two navy helicopters collided mid-air, claiming the lives of ten individuals. Footage from local media revealed that one helicopter’s rotor clipped the other before both aircraft plummeted to the ground.
The incident occurred at 09:30 local time in Lumut, Malaysia, where a navy base is located. Despite immediate response efforts, there were no survivors. The Royal Malaysian Navy confirmed that all victims were declared deceased at the scene, with their remains transferred to the Lumut Military Hospital for identification.
In response to the incident, the Royal Malaysian Navy announced the formation of a committee to investigate its cause.
The first helicopter involved, a HOM M503-3 carrying seven occupants, crashed onto a nearby running track, while the second, a Fennec M502-6 with three individuals on board, collided into a swimming pool in close proximity.
Authorities were alerted to the crash at 09:50 local time. This tragic event follows a recent incident in March, when a Malaysian coast guard helicopter crashed into the sea during a training flight off Angsa Island. Thankfully, in that instance, the pilot, co-pilot, and two passengers were rescued by local fishermen.