Anxious wait for families
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Dr Judson's family members wait anxiously for the latest news on the fate of everyone in the helicopter. - Starpix by RAPAEE KAWI |
There was guarded apprehension from relatives and friends of Dr Judson Tagal at about 11am when news first broke out that the helicopter he was on had been spotted in a valley but the fate of its passengers and pilot was not known.
Shortly after this, there was gloom when another report trickled in to say that the helicopter had crashed and there were some casualties.
Then, the “good” news came just before noon.
The group broke into an applause when told that all the six were found safe at the Pak Rumpai longhouse near the Sarawak-Kalimantan border, and that the survivors would be airlifted to Miri shortly by army aircraft.
Family members greeted the news with great joy, some describing it as “a miracle.”
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Lianney: Praying for the safety of her husband and others. |
An emotional Lianney was hugged by several relatives and friends. Lianney said she had prayed all night for Dr Tagal and others travelling with him, and she thanked God for saving their lives.
The couple’s eldest daughter Jemima Tagal, 21, who was on the same trip but travelled in another helicopter, landed safely in Bakelalan.
Jemina, a medical student, is back in Sarawak on holiday.
But by early afternoon, news spread that reports that all on board were safe were inaccurate as the search and rescue teams had not even found the missing helicopter.
This was confirmed by Transport Minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur in the evening.
“As at 4.10pm, the DCA told me there had been no sighting yet. The search and rescue operations will continue unabated,” he told reporters.
In Miri, several other family members of the missing passengers had waited in anxiety for the whole day at the Hornbill Skyways hanger.
Related Stories:
Communications link was cut off suddenly, says Deputy CM
Massive search to locate Sarawak assistant minister and six others
DCA told about crash four hours later
Sarawak assistant minister, copter missing
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