They were identified based on personal belongings found with their remains, clothing, and seating positions.
The victims are pilot Zainol Afiq Bee Sham, 30, medical officer Dr Ainul Baraah Kamaruddin, 33, medical assistant Alexson Adit Henry, 31, and nurses Debra Moset, 40, and Jessie Paya Jok, 44.
Sarawak police commissioner Zainal Abdullah said they were identified based on personal belongings found with the remains, clothing, and seating positions inside the helicopter.
“Formal identification will be carried out at the hospital, and DNA samples have been taken from the victims’ families,” he was quoted by Bernama as saying at Miri Airport.
Zainal said a preliminary investigation found that several witnesses had seen smoke and flames coming from the helicopter before it crashed.
Villagers also helped put out the fire using fire extinguishers available at the short takeoff and landing airport, but the victims were believed to have been unable to escape.
“Based on the position of the helicopter, the pilot was believed to have been trying to land it safely as it was right at the end of the runway. Perhaps it immediately caught fire upon landing and they did not have time to escape,” he said.
Zainal said the helicopter was not equipped with a cockpit voice recorder or black box, and that police found no information indicating that the pilot had made an emergency call before the crash.
The helicopter, which was built in 1991, last underwent maintenance on Aug 24 and was cleared for another 100 flight hours, he said.
Police have opened a sudden death report, while the investigation into the cause of the crash is being conducted by the Air Accident Investigation Bureau. - FMT
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