The two survivors are former Malaysia Airlines Bhd group CEO Ahmad Jauhari Yahya, 66, and My Heli Club member Tan Chai Eian, 51, who suffered minor injuries.
He and Tan were in one helicopter that made an emergency landing after the collision while the other helicopter crashed near Taman Melawati, killing the pilot, former naval commander Mohamed Sabri Baharom, 56, and his passenger, businessman Mohd Irfan Fikri Rawi, 41.
All four are believed to be members of the My Heli Club, a private social network of helicopter enthusiasts. Jauhari is president of the club, while Sabri was its chief instructor. The club, based in Subang, owns the two French-made Guimbal Cabri G2 light helicopters, registration numbers 9M-HCA and 9M-HCB.
The chief inspector of air accidents, Brigadier-General Izani Ismail, said both survivors had been sent to hospital for further treatment. “So tomorrow, both victims will be called by BSKU to assist in the investigation,” he told Bernama.
Izani said the two helicopters did not carry a black box, which are only fitted to larger and heavier helicopters.
The wreckage of the crashed helicopter has been dismantled and taken to Subang, Selangor, for further investigation, Bernama reported.
Ampang Jaya district police chief Mohamad Farouk Eshak said a post-mortem examination of the two victims will be carried out tomorrow at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre.
He urged eye-witnesses and those who had video recordings of the incident to come forward to assist with investigations.
Family learns of crash from chat group
The family of Irfan found out about the crash through a message in a chat group.
Irfan’s eldest brother, Mohd Izani Rawi, said he contacted the sender of the message after recognising his brother’s watch in a photograph shared in the message.
Irfan, from Kota Bharu, Kelantan, was the fourth of 10 siblings.
Izani said his brother had a deep interest in aviation. “He would fly almost every week but before he flies off the family would be informed,” said Izani. He said Irfan obtained a pilot’s licence several years ago that also led him to venture into the aviation business. He also had a remote sensing and simulator business.
First G2CA crash in Malaysia, 46th worldwide
Today’s crash of the Guimbal Cabri G2 (G2CA) helicopters is the first such incident in Malaysia involving the aircraft type. An air safety website reports that the two helicopters in today’s incident were the 45th and 46th recorded since the first one in Baden, Germany, in April 2010.
Five incidents of the same model were reported this year, two in the United States and one each in Switzerland, Poland and Australia.
The two helicopters (9M-HCA and 9MHCB) were believed to be conducting flight training when they collided in mid-air after taking off from Subang airport, each with two occupants.