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Wednesday July 28, 2004

Rescuers find wreckage but fate of seven still unknown

BY STEPHEN THEN AND SHARON LING

KUCHING: The wreckage of the Hornbill Skyways helicopter, which went missing in a remote area of Sarawak 15 days ago, has been found but the fate of the seven on board is still unknown.

The wreckage was located about 4km from the foot of Gunung Murud, north-west of the original flight route, – a place that had been thoroughly searched previously.

STILL HOPEFUL: Relatives of the missing helicopter passengers hugging each other after finding out that the wreckage had been found. – Bernamapic
The helicopter, piloted by Capt Samsudin Hassim, had left on July 12 with Assistant State Minister Dr Judson Tagal and five others from Bario to Bakelalan to study the possible gridline for telecommunications and power linkage projects. The aircraft lost contact with base an hour after take-off.

Rescuers in a helicopter scouring the jungles between Bario and Bakelalan made the discovery at 5.35pm. Using a digital videocam, they zoomed on the spot and saw the wreckage.

However, no one was seen in the area. As it was already dark, rescuers would only begin the search for those missing at first light.

Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr George Chan, who is directing the search mission, said yesterday he received news at 5.45pm that there was “strong evidence” that the Bell 206 Long Ranger helicopter had been sighted northwest of Pa Lungan.

“I can now confirm that it is the helicopter,” he told reporters in Miri.

Bukit Aman Internal Security and Public Order director Comm Salleh Mat Som, who is overseeing the police operation in the search mission, said VAT 69 commandos had been dropped into the area.

“They have been ordered to secure the area to prevent unauthorised persons from entering and also ensure that investigations are not hampered,” he said.

According to the Department of Civil Aviation's Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Kuala Lumpur, it received information from the Kuching Aeronautical Rescue Sub-Centre that a Hornbill Skyways search helicopter reported possible sighting of the missing aircraft at co-ordinates 03 52N 115 36E.

ON THE WAY: Salleh heading to the search area after being informed that the wreckage of the helicopter had been found. – Bernamapic
Dr Judson's father, Tagal Paran, said he was very hopeful when he saw the video of the wreckage as the cabin was intact.

“I have a feeling that there are survivors and we are holding a prayer vigil for not only the missing but also the rescuers as the conditions there are bad,'' he said.

Another relative, Stanley Remuman, said the family in Bakelalan had been informed and “they are hopeful and praying for a miracle.”

More than 1,200 people and 16 aircraft, including a PC Orion fitted with a “forward looking infra-red” system that can detect body heat and small metal objects, were involved in the search and rescue operation.

The other two were a GAF Nomad plane fitted with a hyper spectral imaging system to help out in remote sensing and a private aircraft equipped with light detection and ranging apparatus and a special digital camera.

Two South African experts in satellite and mapping technology had also joined in the mission.

Bernama reported that Capt Thomas Lim of the Hornbill Skyways was among the first to have spotted the helicopter wreckage.

Other crew members on board were Fire and Rescue Department personnel on a mission to build a helicopter pad when they stumbled upon the wreckage.

A video footage taken from a digital camera showed the wreckage with the cockpit glass facing the pilot's seat broken.

It also showed all the passenger window panels intact while the tail of the helicopter was not visible from the air because of the thick foliage.

Click here for infographic

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