Commander Muhammad Firdaus Ramli : “Pilots Alert: Stay Vigilant in Breakout Formation”

Accident – Death – Obituary News : : 1. Lumut Crash formation breakout
2. Pilot situational awareness Lumut Crash

Yesterday, a routine training exercise for the Malaysian heroes turned tragic as two helicopters collided during a rehearsal session for the 90th Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) Day Parade at the RMN Lumut Base. The accident resulted in the loss of 10 crew members, leaving the country in mourning. A veteran air crash investigator expressed concerns about the formation breakdown during the accident, emphasizing the importance of pre-flight briefings and maintaining situational awareness. Perak Police Chief revealed the identities of the victims, who were members of the RMN Lumut and Kota Kinabalu Bases. Defence Minister announced the cancellation of upcoming events, replacing them with prayers for the departed souls.

Tragedy Strikes Malaysian Heroes During Routine Training Exercises

Yesterday morning started like any other day at the RMN Lumut Base, where routine training exercises were being conducted in preparation for the 90th Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) Day Parade. Little did anyone know that tragedy was about to strike, turning a day of commemoration into one of mourning and loss.

Expert Analysis of the Tragic Accident

Following the collision and crash of two helicopters during a rehearsal session, a veteran air crash investigator, who chose to remain anonymous, provided insights into the incident. According to the investigator, the viral video of the tragedy circulating on social media indicated that the formation appeared to break up at the time of the accident.

The expert emphasized the importance of pre-flight briefings for all flights participating in formations, covering coordination, timing, and the formation itself. In this case, the formation seemed to be breaking up during a turn, raising concerns about maintaining situational awareness, especially when multiple aircraft of different types and performance capabilities are involved.

Factors Contributing to the Fatal Accident

The expert also highlighted the significance of factors such as maintaining basic lookout and situational awareness, ensuring lateral and height separation throughout the flight, and the applicability of the formation considering the involvement of different aircraft types. These factors are crucial in preventing similar incidents from occurring in the future.

Details of the Victims and Aircraft Involved

Perak Police Chief Datuk Seri Mohd Yusri Hassan Basri revealed that the victims, consisting of seven men and three women, were members of the RMN Lumut and Kota Kinabalu Bases. The tragic incident involved the HOM (M503-3) aircraft and the Fennec aircraft during a training session in preparation for the 90th RMN Day Parade at the RMN Lumut Base.

The crew members aboard the HOM AW139 Aircraft included Commander Muhammad Firdaus Ramli, Lieutenant Commander Mohammad Amirulfaris Mohamad Marzukhi, Lieutenant Commander Wan Rezaudeen Kamal Wan Zainal Abidin, Lieutenant Commander Muhammad Faisol Tamadun, Noorfarahimi Mohd Saedy, Noor Rahiza Anuar, and Joanna Felicia anak Rohna. The crew members aboard the Fennec Aircraft were identified as Commander Muhamad Amir Mohamad, Lieutenant T Sivasutan, and Mohd Shahrizan Mohd Termizi.

Cancellation of Events and Replacement with Tahlil and Doa Selamat

Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin announced the cancellation of all events in conjunction with the 90th Anniversary of the RMN celebration parade, scheduled to start this Saturday. Instead, the events will be replaced with tahlil and doa selamat as a mark of respect for the lives lost in the tragic accident.