Two Malaysian Navy helicopters collided mid-air on Tuesday during a rehearsal for a Royal Malaysian Navy celebration event. According to a Reuters report, the Royal Malaysian Navy has confirmed that ten people lost their lives in the collision. All ten casualties were of the crew members who were aboard the two aircrafts.
The incident took place at the Lumut naval base in the western state of Perak at 9:32 a.m. local time on Tuesday morning. The navy stated that all victims were pronounced deceased at the scene and transported to the Lumut army base hospital for identification.
The navy confirmed that the AW139 maritime operation helicopter was carrying seven crew members, while the Fennec lightweight helicopter, manufactured by Airbus, had three crew members on board, reported PTI.
The AW139 is produced by AgustaWestland, a subsidiary of the Italian defense contractor Leonardo.
According to local media reports, the AW139 crashed at a sports complex within the naval base, while the Fennec struck a nearby swimming pool.
The navy announced its intention to conduct an investigation to ascertain the cause of the accident.
A footage published by local media suggests that one of the helicopters clipped the rotor of the other before both crashed into the ground at a stadium, reported BBC.
We are currently seeking more information regarding the incident. Stay with us for further updates.