A light aircraft fall to Selat Melaka just now at 10:00pm, 3 pilots is safe from the accident.
Location : Masjid Selat Melaka, Pulau Melaka.
A Malaysian Flying Academy instructor and her two trainees escaped death when their Piper PA-28 aircraft crashed into the Straits of Malacca, near the Masjid Selat in Bandar Hilir, here, last night.
The trio were on a night flying training exercise when the light aircraft was believed to have experienced some tech nical problems before crashing into one of the busiest straits in the world.
The trio involved in the 8.20pm incident were identified as flying instructor, Capt Sharon Yee, 27, and second year trainees, Soh Shien Shoong, 22, and Faeroz Kamil, 23.
Yee was piloting the aircraft while Faeroz was the co-pilot. Soh was seated at the back row in the aircraft.
Yee and Soh are said to have embarked out of the aircraft and swam to the nearby Masjid Selat to seek help while Faeroz, who was unable to swim managed to stay afloat at sea before he was rescued by the Fire and Rescue De partment at about 9.30pm.
According to State Deputy Police Chief, Senior Assistant Commissioner Datuk Shah Ghazi Shahadad Yee and Soh had managed to swim for help and sought aid from the con gregation at the Masjid Selat who then alerted the rescue personnel.
“The distress call was received at about 8.41pm and the Fire and Rescue Department arrived at about 8.54pm.
“The rescue boat was sent to sea and Faeroz was picked up some 400 metres from the shores of Bandar Hilir.
“All three people in the aircraft survived the ordeal,” he said, adding that Yee had sustained a deep gash above her right eyebrow while Soh suffered some minor cuts on the back of his body.
“Faeroz, who was rescued from the sea did not suffer and injuries but was exhausted after having to keep himself afloat in the Straits of Melaka for over an hour after the plane crashed despite strong currents,” he said.
It is learnt that the aircraft was last seen on radar at about 8.15pm.
Kubu Fire and Rescue Department head, Yazid Mohamad Tahir when met at the scene said that a boat with 15 divers were deployed to rescue Faeroz, who hails from Sarawak, from the sea after he was swept by the strong currents.
“We had no trouble finding the victim at sea as he was using a torchlight to indicate his location while waiting for rescue workers to arrive,” he said.
[SOURCE : New Strait Times]
