UPDATE: Body of woman found near crash site: report
Rescuers have found debris believed to that of a AS350 helicopter which went missing just before 5pm yesterday.
Prime Minister Najib Razak said this at a press conference at the Department of Civil Aviation’s Kuching Tower and air control office today.
“Early this morning the search and rescue team found debris from a helicopter believed to be the missing AS350 near Sungai Batang Lupar at 9.50am today,” he was quoted as saying in a report by the New Straits Times.
“The area near Sungai Batang Sadong is wide, SAR operations might be difficult; assets will be deployed at maximum capacity,” he was quoted further.
Debris found include floatation device, a seat, part of the rotor blade and part of the aircraft’s body.
On board were six people — among them Plantation Industries and Commodities Deputy Minister Noriah Kasnon — who were on their way from Betong to Kuching in Sarawak yesterday.
Noriah is also Sungai Besar MP.
Along with Noriah were her husband Asmuni Abdullah, ministry secretary-general Datuk Dr Sundaran Annamalai, Kuala Kangsar MP Datuk Wan Mohammad Khair-il Anuar Wan Ahmad, Noriah’s bodyguard Ahmad Sobri and Capt Rudolf Rex Ragas.
