Senator calls for BO-105 helicopters to be grounded

 RA Lingeshwaran says temporary suspension is needed pending confirmation of crash cause.

A BO-105 helicopter operating a Flying Doctor Service flight was heading from Miri airport to Long Lellang when it crashed near the Long Lellang STOLport yesterday afternoon. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA:

A senator has called for the immediate and temporary grounding of all helicopters of the same model involved in a fatal Flying Doctor Service (FDS) crash in Sarawak, pending confirmation of the cause.

RA Lingeshwaran said the suspension was necessary to ensure the safety of doctors, nurses, health ministry personnel, pilots and rural communities who depend entirely on the service.

“Although FDS operations are run by a private company under a government contract, the government’s responsibility cannot be relinquished,” he said in a statement today.

“The government has an obligation to ensure that any contractor company uses aircraft that comply with the highest safety and flight standards.”

The BO-105 helicopter in question was flying from Miri Airport to Long Lellang when it crashed near the Long Lellang STOLport. All five people on board, comprising four ministry personnel and a pilot, were killed.

Lingeshwaran said if investigations found that the aircraft’s age, maintenance history or condition had contributed to the crash, the government must bear full responsibility and take firm action against the company involved.

Based on aircraft records, he said the helicopter, bearing registration number 9M-LLF, was a previously operated aircraft, not a new one, having been built in Germany in 1991.

Lingeshwaran said the aircraft, with serial number S-867, flew under registrations in Germany, the US and South Africa before entering service in Malaysia.

He noted that production of the BO-105 model ceased in 2001, making the aircraft about 35 years old in 2026, with a documented history spanning more than three decades.

“The government needs to reassess the use of older helicopters and ensure that contractor companies replace them with more modern and suitable helicopters.

“Human life cannot be measured against contract costs or operational profit. Precautionary measures must be taken now, without waiting for a second tragedy to occur,” he said. - FMT