(Adnkronos) – Five people have died following a helicopter crash near a remote landing strip in the interior of Sarawak, on the northwestern coast of Borneo island; Malaysian authorities announced on Wednesday. The BO-105 helicopter, in service for the country’s “Flying Doctor Service” (aerial medical service), crashed on Tuesday afternoon approximately 315 kilometers southeast of Miri city, according to emergency management officials.
“All five people on board have died, as confirmed by reports from the Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) and the Ministry of Health,” Galong Luang, Miri’s emergency management officer, said in a statement.
Among the victims are the pilot, a doctor, a health assistant, and two nurses, according to local media reports. Some footage of the incident circulated on social media shows the helicopter emitting smoke shortly before crashing. A Malaysian team tasked with investigating the incident is expected to arrive at the crash site on Wednesday; the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia announced. The causes of the crash are not yet known.
Malaysia’s “Flying Doctor Service” provides assistance to indigenous communities that heavily rely on air transport due to the dense jungle and rugged terrain in the country’s interior regions.
Teams, usually composed of a doctor, a medical assistant, nurses, and other healthcare personnel, travel by helicopter or small planes following monthly or bimonthly scheduled shifts to reach villages and typical collective dwellings (“longhouses”).
