HELICOPTER TRAGEDY: VICTIMS' POST-MORTEMS EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED TOMORROW AFTERNOON

IPOH, April 23 (Bernama) -- The post-mortems of 10 victims of the tragedy of two helicopters colliding near the Royal Malaysian Navy (TLDM) base in Lumut, currently being carried out at the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital (HRPB), here, are expected to be completed by tomorrow afternoon.

Deputy medical director (I), Dr Liaw Kok Toon, assuming the duties of HRPB director, said that the hospital received the remains of 10 victims for the post-mortem procedure at the Forensic Department of the hospital, at about 6 pm today.

“The post-mortem examination has started, and is expected to be completed tomorrow afternoon,” he said, in a statement, here today.

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He said that the HRPB requested the cooperation of all parties to give space, to ensure that the post-mortem procedure and victim identification could be carried out smoothly by the HRPB Forensic Department, in addition to respecting the privacy of the victims’ families and next of kin.

All the remains were sent to HRPB, after going through the identification process by the next of kin at the Malaysian Armed Forces Hospital Lumut, this afternoon.

The tragedy, involving a Maritime Operations Helicopter (HOM-AW139) and a Fennec (M502-6) aircraft, occurred at 9.32 this morning, during fly-past training in conjunction with TLDM’s 90th anniversary, scheduled early next month, killed 10 TLDM officers and personnel, including three women.

-- BERNAMA