TAPAH: The search and operation (SAR) to locate a missing helicopter and a pilot continues today.
A total of 207 personnel and officers from various agencies including police, Battalion 3 of General Operations Force, Air Unit, firemen, Forestry Department and Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART) are involved in the operation.
District police chief Superintendent Wan Azharuddin Wan Ismail said today's SAR operation focused on Kampung Kenangan and Chikus Forest Reserve area here.
"The operation started at 8am and covers a five-kilometre radius where the last signal of the helicopter was detected," he told a press conference at the Bidor Police Station here, today.
Yesterday, the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) in a statement said that Police Chopper MD (PDRM helicopter) completed the search at 6.39pm and safely returned to Subang Airport at 7.03pm.
SAR by a Royal Malaysia Air Force helicopter continued until 7.12pm and safely landed in Butterworth at 8pm.
CAAM Ipoh Air Traffic Control Tower extended the SAR operations until 8.03pm.
A ground search was carried out by police as well as Fire and Rescue Department personnel. A Control Post on Scene (PKTK) will be established at the Bidor Police Station here.
It was reported yesterday that CAAM chief executive officer Datuk Captain Chester Voo confirmed that a helicopter lost contact with Kuala Lumpur Air Traffic Control Centre (KLATCC) at 12.16pm.
The helicopter type/model is a Eurocopter EC120B, registration marking N409HH operated by Heli Outpost Sdn Bhd.
The helicopter with one pilot in command took off from the Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport, Subang, Selangor at 11.37am yesterday for a private flight and was scheduled to land at 12.37pm at the Sultan Azlan Shah Airport here.
CAAM said the Kuala Lumpur Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre in KLATCC was immediately activated to determine the location of the helicopter.