Helicopter with lone pilot missing near Bidor

 

A helicopter with just the pilot on board has been reported missing near Bidor, Perak while flying from Subang to Ipoh today.

Transport Minister Wee Ka Siong said the privately owned Eurocopter EC120B took off from the Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in Subang at 11.37pm and was supposed to land at the Sultan Azlan Shah Airport in Ipoh exactly an hour later at 12.37pm.

However, Wee told reporters today, that the helicopter lost radio contact with the Kuala Lumpur Air Traffic Control Centre (KLATCC) at 12.16pm.

“The Civil Aviation Authority (CAAM) and the police will issue further statements on the incident and a search and rescue operation is underway,” he said following a visit to the KTMB railway station in Ipoh, as reported by Bernama.

The transport minister said a CAAM team led by its chief executive officer Chester Voo, with the cooperation of Tapah police, is carrying out a ground search.

“We pray that the search and rescue team will obtain the necessary information to pinpoint the exact location of the aircraft, and we hope any news received is a good one.

“According to the control tower, the radar showed that the aircraft is already on ground level, but we need to be certain and not make assumptions. CAAM will issue a full report,” Wee added.

No distress calls

Tapah district police chief Wan Azharuddin Wan Ismail when contacted said coordinates provided by CAAM indicate that the helicopter’s last known position was near the Chikus forest reserve, near Langkap in Teluk Intan.

Along with a Fire and Rescue Department team, Tapah and Teluk Intan police are conducting a search in that area, he added.

CAAM reported that despite records of a sharp loss of altitude, no distress calls were made.

“The radar system in KLATCC had recorded a sharp loss of altitude of the helicopter and the on-duty air traffic control officer tried to make contact with the pilot, however, there was no distress call made,” Voo said in a statement.

He further said the review of the radar readings indicated a large loss of altitude in less than one minute.

“The Kuala Lumpur Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre in KLATCC was immediately activated to determine the location of the helicopter.

“Helicopters of the Royal Malaysian Air Force and Royal Malaysia Police are at the last known location to conduct the search and rescue efforts,” he added. - Mkini