10 killed as 2 helicopters collide head on in Malaysia

Two Malaysian navy helicopters have collided in mid-air during a rehearsal for a parade, killing all 10 crew members on board, the navy has said. The incident occurred at the Lumut naval base in the western state of Perak at 9.32am on Tuesday (0132 GMT), the navy said in a statement.

“All victims were confirmed dead at the scene and sent to the Lumut naval base military hospital for identification,” according to the statement, reports The Guardian.

A video circulating on local media showed several helicopters flying in formation, when one of the aircraft’s rotors clipped another before both crashed into the ground.

Local police confirmed the footage was genuine and Malaysia’s navy said it would carry out an investigation into the cause of the accident.

Defence minister, Mohamed Khaled Nordin, said the two aircraft were rehearsing for a parade celebrating the 90th anniversary of the Royal Malaysian Navy, due to be held on Saturday.
Efforts were under way to verify the identities of the crew members killed, all of whom were below the age of 40, Mohamed Khaled told reporters.