PULAU ANGSA INCIDENT: MMEA HELICOPTER BLACK BOX FOUND

SHAH ALAM, April 17 (Bernama) -- The black box of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) AW139 helicopter that made an emergency landing while carrying out a rescue exercise around the waters of Pulau Angsa, Kuala Selangor on March 5 was found today after 44 days of searching.

MMEA director-general Admiral (Maritime) Datuk Hamid Mohd Amin said the black box was found by its rescue diving team after the helicopter’s tail was detected at 1.9 nautical miles south of Pulau Angsa, about 760 metres from the crash site.

“After being retrieved from the seabed, the black box was taken to the laboratory for the recording data to be analysed to determine the real cause of the incident.

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“MMEA expects the data analysis results to be obtained soon since the black box did not suffer severe damage,” he said in a statement today.

Earlier, Hamid said the search operation, which involved 21 divers, faced difficulties due to strong currents and limited visibility underwater due to the muddy seabed.

He said that in addition to the MMEA, the search operation was also joined by the sonar crew of the Royal Malaysian Navy's National Hydrographic Centre (NHC); the Air Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB); MMEA’s aircraft service provider, Galaxy (M) Sdn Bhd; the Maritime Malaysia Air Operations Division as well as the crew of the Selangor State Maritime vessels and boats.

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In the March 5 incident, the helicopter flown by Lt Cmdr (Maritime) Tengku Mohd Nizam Tengku Zakaria, with Lt Cmdr (Maritime) Mohamad Azrol Saidi, and aircrew Warrant Officer I (Maritime) John Ibno and rescue diver Petty Officer (Maritime) Muhamad Nurhayyat Hashim had to make an emergency landing during a rescue exercise.

It, however, did not involve any casualties.

-- BERNAMA