By Rhea Yasmine Alis Haizan
KUALA LUMPUR: An aircraft with eight individuals onboard crashed onto a highway near Shah Alam in the Malaysian state of Selangor on Thursday (Aug 17), with ten confirmed dead including an assemblyman.
According to New Straits Times (NST), Selangor police chief Hussein Omar Khan said: “We believe that all those involved in the incident are dead. There were eight on board and two on the ground … at minimum (10 of them).”
The two on the ground were the driver of a car and a motorcyclist. Both vehicles were hit by the aircraft in the crash.
“The Fire and Rescue Department managed to put out the fire in 10 minutes,” Mr Hussein was quoted as saying by NST.
“Forensic personnel are in the process of collecting the remains and will bring them to the Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital in Klang for a post-mortem examination and identification process.”
Pahang’s Pelangai assemblyman Johari Harun is also reported to be among those killed in the crash.
Local politicians, including United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) communications director Lokman Adam, shared their condolences on social media.
In a statement on Thursday, Malaysia’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAAM) said the accident took place in the City of Elmina, Shah Alam.
“The aircraft operated by Jetvalet Sdn. Bhd. departed from Langkawi International Airport at 2.08 pm to Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport,” said CAAM chief executive officer Norazman Bin Mahmud.
“At 2.51pm, the Subang Air Traffic Control Tower observed smoke originating from the crash site but no mayday call was made by the aircraft.”
He added that the Kuala Lumpur Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre (KL ARCC) has been activated to coordinate the search and rescue mission.
“The safety investigation will be conducted by the Air Accident Investigation Bureau under the Ministry of Transport Malaysia in accordance with Part XXVI of the Civil Aviation Regulations 2016,” said Mr Norazman.
He confirmed that the aircraft is a Beechcraft Model 390 (Premier 1) with the registration number N28JV.
Shah Alam district police chief Mohd Iqbal Ibrahim, who confirmed the incident, said that a police team has also been sent to the location, according to Bernama.
Posts on social media platform X show a burnt section of a highway in Elmina, Shah Alam with smoke billowing from a fire by the highway.
The area also appears to have been cordoned off by Malaysian authorities.
The aircraft reportedly plummeted to the ground and exploded upon impact, according to Free Malaysia Today, citing China Press.
