Copter crash: Family of commander Firdaus accepts report with an open heart

GEORGE TOWN: The family of the late Commander Muhammad Firdaus Ramli, who was killed in a crash involving two Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) helicopters in Lumut, Perak in April, has accepted the findings of the final report issued on Thursday (May 30) with an open heart.

Ramli Abd Hamid, 68, father of the deceased, said he and his family were satisfied with the investigation and accepted the ill-fated destiny of Muhammad Firdaus, more affectionately known as “Tuan Kecik”, who is the eldest of seven siblings.

“We as a family were invited by RMN to attend the announcement of the final report in Lumut last Friday and I, on behalf of the family, accept it (the findings).

“It (helicopter crash) has already happened, we can’t change that reality and Allah has destined the inevitable for us and my late son,” he said at his home in Persiaran Pantai Jerejak here Sunday (June 2).

In the April 23 tragedy, 10 Navy personnel consisting of seven crew members of the Maritime Operations Helicopter (HOM-AW139) and three crew members of the TLDM Fennec were killed in the incident during a fly-past rehearsal for RMN’s 90th Anniversary celebration at its naval base in Lumut.

Muhammad Firdaus, 44, who left behind a wife and a four-year-old son, was buried at the Sungai Nibong Besar Jamek Mosque cemetery here.

Ramli said today marks 40 days since his son’s death and his family held a tahlil ceremony at home.

He said the most touching thing was that his son’s grave is frequently visited by people and fresh flowers are always laid on the tombstone.

He said there is no denying the grief of a father’s loss but he cannot be desolate over destiny.

On Thursday, the RMN Board of Inquiry found that the tragic crash involving two RMN aircraft on April 23 was mainly caused by the Fennec helicopter deviating from its designated altitude and course and entering the flight path of the AW139 helicopter.

RMN chief Admiral Tan Sri Abdul Rahman Ayob said the board also concluded that the secondary factor of the crash was due to the channelised attention of the AW139 helicopter crew, who were focused on changing course, thereby limiting their reaction to avoid the collision. – BK