THE mid-air collision involving two Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) helicopters in Lumut this morning marked the latest in a long list of incidences involving helicopters in Malaysia.
In the latest incident, an Agusta Westland AW139 Maritime Operations Helicopter (HOM) and a Eurocopter Fennec collided in mid-air during a rehearsal for the 90th RMN anniversary celebration scheduled for early next month.
All 10 crew members on board were killed.
Here is a list of other major helicopter crashes in Malaysia:
Nov 14, 1989: A Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) Sikorsky S-61A-4 (Nuri) helicopter crashed in Gunung Gerah, border of Kelantan-Perak, killing 21.
Nov 29, 1995: A Bell 412 SP helicopter crashed near Laut Semarang, Sabah. Eleven fatalities were recorded.
June 14, 1996: A Bell Long Ranger IV helicopter crashed near the Sri Damansara Industrial Area, Kuala Lumpur, claiming five lives.
March 3, 1997: An Agusta A109E helicopter crashed near Kuala Lipis, Pahang. The tragedy claimed three fatalities, including DRB-Hicom chairman Tan Sri Yahya Ahmad and his wife, Puan Sri Rohana Othman.
March 19, 1997: Two Sikorsky S-61A-4 (Nuri) RMAF helicopters crashed in Sipitang, Sabah, with 11 deaths.
July 12, 2004: A Bell 206 Long Ranger helicopter crashed in Bario, Sarawak. It claimed seven fatalities including including former Ba'kelalan assemblyman Dr Judson Sakai Tagal.
July 13, 2007: A Sikorsky S-61A-4 (Nuri) RMAF helicopter crashed in Genting Sempah, Pahang, with six deaths.
July 19, 2012: A Eurocopter EC120 helicopter crashed in Sungai Lingga, Sri Aman Sarawak. Three fatalities were recorded, with the German pilot being the sole survivor.
Apr 4, 2015: A Eurocopter AS365 helicopter crashed in Semenyih, Selangor. Six fatalities were recorded, including Rompin member of parliament Tan Sri Dr Jamaluddin Jarjis.
May 5, 2016: A Eurocopter AS350 helicopter crashed in Batang Lupar, Sarawak. Six people died including Sungai Besar Member of Parliament Tan Sri Noriah Kasnon, and Kuala Kangsar Member of Parliament Datuk Wan Mohammad Khairil Anuar Wan Ahmad.
Oct 4, 2016: A Nuri helicopter crash lands on a roof near SMK Balong, Tawau, Sabah. All 14 RMAF personnel onboard were injured.
March 24, 2021: An Airbus AS350 B3 helicopter crashed at the Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in Subang. All five onboard survived.
Sept 11, 2022: A Eurocopter EC120B helicopter crashed near Hutan Simpan Chikus, near Bidor, Perak, with one fatality recorded.
April 23, 2024: Two helicopters, a HOM (M503-3) and Fennec (M502-6) crashed in a mid-air collision over the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) base in Lumut, claiming 10 lives.