Five killed as medical helicopter crashes near Long Lelang airstrip in Sarawak, Malaysia
Health Minister Džulkefli Ahmad said the pilot and four ministry medical staff were on board; fog and a ten‑hour land journey hampered search operations.
A medical helicopter crashed near the Long Lelang airstrip in the Malaysian state of Sarawak, killing all five people on board, Health Minister Džulkefli Ahmad said on Thursday.
Crash and victims
According to the minister's statement, the victims included the pilot and four employees of the Ministry of Health. The ministry staff comprised one medical officer, an assistant medical officer and two nurses who were on official duty.
The aircraft belonged to the service commonly known as the "flying doctors," which operates planes and helicopters to deliver medical care, emergency transfers and clinical services to remote and isolated communities.
Search teams faced heavy fog at the scene, preventing the use of helicopters or fixed‑wing aircraft in the initial response, Police Commissioner Mohamad Zainal Abdullah said. He added that the crash site lies in a remote area reachable only by a ten‑hour journey overland.
Authorities have not released further details about the cause of the accident or the identities of the deceased. Rescue and investigation teams continue to coordinate access to the site under challenging weather and terrain conditions.
Photo: press material from the event
