On 23rd April 2024, at 04:40 BST, a tragic incident occurred when two Malaysian navy helicopters collided in mid-air during a rehearsal for a military parade. The collision resulted in the deaths of all 10 crew members on board. The helicopters were flying in formation when one of them clipped the rotor of the other, causing both aircraft to crash to the ground.
The accident took place at 09:30 local time in the town of Lumut, where a Royal Malaysian Navy base is located. The footage of the crash was widely shared on social media and local news outlets. Rescue personnel were seen removing debris from the crash site, and all victims were confirmed dead at the scene.
The Royal Malaysian Navy stated that the remains of the crew members were sent to the Lumut Military Hospital for identification. They also announced that a committee would be formed to investigate the cause of the incident. One of the helicopters, a HOM M503-3, had seven people on board and crashed onto a running track, while the other, a Fennec M502-6 with three victims, crashed into a nearby swimming pool.
The state’s fire and rescue department was alerted to the incident at 09:50 local time. Malaysia’s Prime Minister, Anwar Ibrahim, expressed his condolences to the families of the victims and prayed for strength in facing this tragedy. This incident follows another helicopter crash in March when a Malaysian coast guard helicopter went down in the sea off Angsa Island during a training flight, but luckily all four passengers were rescued by fishermen.