10 killed when two Malaysian military helicopters collide during naval training – Daily Nigerian

Two military helicopters crashed early Tuesday during a training session over a naval base on Malaysia’s west coast, killing 10 people, local media reported, citing the country’s navy.

Singapore news channel CNA quoted the Royal Malaysian Navy, RMN, in a statement.

It said a naval helicopter with seven crew members on board and another with three passengers collided at the naval base in Lumut at 9:32 a.m. (0132 GMT).

Lumut is located about 200 kilometers northwest of Kuala Lumpur.

“All victims were pronounced dead on the spot and sent to Lumut Naval Base Armed Forces Hospital for identification process,” CNA quoted the Navy statement as saying.

It added that Perak police chief Mohd Yusri Hassan Basri confirmed that 10 people were killed.

CNA reported that the helicopters were training for a flyover to mark the 90th Navy Day celebrations, which will take place in a few days.

Photos from the scene showed the completely destroyed remains of the plane.

The cause of the accident was initially unclear and the RMN would “establish a board of inquiry to determine the cause of the incident,” the Navy said.

dpa/NAN