A nation in mourning

Rabiatul Kamit and Wardi Buntar
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Sunday, July 22, 2012

His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, the Supreme Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) and the Minister of Defence (second from right), with His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah (right), the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister's Office, who is also the General of the RBAF, paid their last respects to one of the crash victims in Jerudong yesterday. Picture: Infofoto
 

TWELVE military personnel were killed in the tragic helicopter accident on Friday afternoon at Ulu Belait, according to official counts provided by the Ministry of Defence (MinDef) following the discovery of the remaining two soldiers announced yesterday.

The bodies, identified as a Royal Brunei Air Force (RBAirF) male officer and female cadet officer, were reportedly found at an undisclosed site early yesterday morning.

Meanwhile, the two surviving officer cadets are currently in stable condition and receiving treatment at the Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha (RIPAS) Hospital, said RIPAS Hospital Deputy CEO Hjh Saidah Hj Wahid.

In a message conveyed to The Brunei Times yesterday, Deputy Minister of Defence Dato Paduka Hj Mustappa Hj Sirat expressed his condolences to the families of the victims. Sharing the same sentiments echoed by the grieving nation, he said that he was "very saddened" by the tragedy.

A total of 14 military personnel were onboard the RBAirF Bell 212 helicopter that crashed at Ulu Belait on the eve of the Ramadhan fasting month.

Among those involved in the tragedy were nine officer cadets from the latest batch of trainees at the Officer Cadet School (OCS) in Sg Akar, two crew men and three RBAirF officers, including a pilot.

MinDef stated that the helicopter was transporting the personnel back to Bandar Seri Begawan after a training session.

Inducted in April, the latest batch of officer cadets were barely into their 42-week training when the fatal helicopter accident occured.

So far, there has been no information from MinDef regarding the cause of the accident or the extent of damage to the helicopter.

The names of the 14 military personnel involved have also been withheld by MinDef out of respect to the family members of the victims.

The tragedy prompted swift action from His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, the Supreme Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) and the Minister of Defence, who visited the survivors and commanded the urgent search for the missing persons.

Accompanied by His Royal Highness Second Lieutenant Prince 'Abdul Mateen, the Monarch also consented to pay his last respects to the victims at the Royal Brunei Air Base on Friday.

In April, MinDef confirmed that an RBAirF Bell 212 helicopter was involved in an accident in the vicinity of Bukit Belalong, in Temburong, while peforming a routine task. The pilot and crew member escaped unhurt, while another sustained minor injuries.

Findings of the helicopter incident in April have not been made public. The pilot, when asked for further details, declined to comment.

The Bell 212 helicopter is a two-bladed, twin-engined military transport built by Bell Helicopter, an American rotorcraft manufacturer. The RBAirF is currently equipped with 10 of the Bell 212 helicopters.

In November 2011, MinDef announced that a deal was secured with Sikorsky for the supply of 12 Blackhawk S-70i helicopters to replace the three-decade-old fleet of Bell 212s and BO105s that are nearing the end of their operational lives.

The deal with Sikorsky, also known as the Support Helicopter Project (SH Project), was in line with the need to replace and enhance the RBAirF's rotary wing capacity as identified in the Defence White Paper Update 2007. 

 

The Brunei Times

Crash victims laid to rest

 

 

Family members and friends of the helicopter crash victims paid their last respects to the dearly departed at various Muslim burial grounds around the Brunei-Muara area yesterday. Pictures: BT/ Yusri Adanan

Wardi Buntar and Rabiatul Kamit
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Sunday, July 22, 2012

 

IT WAS a grim first day of Ramadhan when family members and friends yesterday gathered at Muslim burial grounds around the Brunei-Muara area to lay to rest their dearly departed, victims of the helicopter crash that occurred two days ago in UluBelait.

His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, The Supreme Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) and Minister of Defence joined one of the jenazah prayers in Jerudong.

With families and friends still coming to terms with their tragic deaths, military officials like the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) Commander Major General Dato Paduka Seri Hj Aminuddin Ihsan Pehin Orang Kaya Saiful Mulok Dato Seri Paduka Hj Abidin were also present to pay their last respects to the 12 crash victims .

At the Muslim cemetery ground in KampungJerudong, one of the cadet officers was buried way up at the hillside of the cemetery.

The Deputy Minister of Home Affairs PehinDatuLailaraja Major General (Rtd) DatoPaduka Seri HjHalbiHjMdYusof was present to witness the burial rites.

The Ministry of Defence yesterday confirmed that 12 military personnel were killed in the tragic helicopter accident on Friday afternoon at UluBelait.

A total of 14 military personnel were onboard the Royal Brunei Air Force (RBAirF) Bell 212 helicopter that crashed on the eve of the Ramadhan fasting month.

Ten bodies were discovered on Friday, while two were missing and another two injured.

Two more bodies, identified as a RBAirF male officer and female cadet officer, were found at an undisclosed site early yesterday morning taking the death toll from the tragedy to 12.

The two surviving officer cadets, meanwhile, are currently in stable condition and receiving treatment at the Raja IsteriPengiranAnakSaleha (RIPAS) Hospital.

The helicopter was transporting the personnel back to Bandar Seri Begawan after a training session.

 

The Brunei Times

10 killed in RBAirF chopper accident

BT Team
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Saturday, July 21, 2012

 

 

TEN out of 14 military personnel were reported to have been killed in a tragic helicopter accident in the Belait area that occurred a day before the start of the Ramadhan fasting month.

The accident prompted the attention of His Majesty, the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam and the Supreme Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces and Minister of Defence.

Following the accident, His Majesty went personally to oversee the shifting of the victims by air to the Royal Brunei Air Force Base from the crash site, where family members of those involved in the accident had gathered to receive news about their loved ones.

The Brunei Times was turned away from the air base.

Also present at the Royal Brunei Air Force Base was His Royal Highness, Second Lt Prince 'Abdul Mateen. His Majesty, later, at around 10.24pm, visited two of the survivours who had been brought to the Raja IsteriPgAnakSaleha (RIPAS) Hospital late yesterday evening.

The monarch had also met with the families of the victims at both the air base and the hospital.

Two more, as of press time, remain unaccounted for, according to a statement issued by the Office of His Majesty, the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam at 12.18pm.

The Ministry of Defence reported that a Bell 212 Helicopter, carrying 14 passengers was involved in an accident in the Belait area yesterday afternoon.

"Fatalities and injuries were reported," stated the press statement from MinDef, noting that three crew of the helicopter and 11 officer cadets were involved.

MinDef stated that the military helicopter was carrying the officer cadets back to Bandar Seri Begawan after a training session.

It stated that the list of fatalities was yet to be confirmed. A list of supposed victims had been circulating in the social media, but MinDef representatives declined to comment on its authenticity. At 7pm, around the RIPAS Accident and Emergency (A & E) Department, medical staff were seen on standby and the Minister of Health, Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Johan Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Hj Adanan Hj Begawan Pehin Siraja Khatib Dato Seri Setia Hj Mohd Yusof as well as senior officials from Ministry of Health (MoH) and one official from Ministry of Defence (MinDef) were seen on site. Closer to 8pm, two visitors, one male and one female, arrived at the A&E (accident and emergency) and they were approached by an acquaintance. The woman fainted suddenly and medical officials immediately acted and rushed her to a restricted room for patients.

It is unclear if the incident was related.

Outside, passer-by's and visitors to the hospital were seen observing the scene and discussing with each other what was happening. Later, more people arrived and some were seen crying. About a few minutes before 8.30pm, the first ambulance carrying a victim arrived to the A&E and immediately rushed to the emergency.

Over time, more people arrived and started consoling each other as they waited outside for more updates while inside the A & E, it was restricted to family members and officials. Past 8.40pm, another ambulance carrying the second victim arrived, pushing medical officers into action.

Three military officers in their uniform were seen standing by the parked ambulance.

Deputy CEO of RIPAS; Dr Hjh Norehan bte Hj Johari, said that two of those involved in the incident were being treated at RIPAS, confirming that they were both stable. At the time, she said that one was in Ward 10 (general ward) and another in the operating theatre. She declined to comment further.

A family of one of the surviving victims, waiting patiently outside the X-Ray department at the hospital said that this was an upsetting incident, especially so close to the first day of Ramadhan.

They shared that they also felt for the families of the other victims, especially those who were uncertain of the fate of their loved ones.

Prayers for the deceased were held at the Surau of the Bolkiah Garrison. After the prayers, the bodies of the victims were carried away one by one by separate hearses and ambulances.— (Ubai, Fitri, Jin, Sarah, Mun, Diyana)

The Brunei Times

 

HM condoles crash victims

Leo Kasim
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Saturday, July 21, 2012

 

 

His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah (2nd L), the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, consoling family members of crash victims at RIPAS Hospital last night. Picture: BT/Rudolf Portillo

 

HIS Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, the Supreme Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) and the Minister of Defence, consented to sending his message of condolence to the family members of the victims involved in an accident of a Royal Brunei Air Force Bell 212 Helicopter in UluBelait, yesterday.

According to a press release from the Office of His Majesty, the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, the accident resulted in 10 deaths, two injuries and two missing. The military aircraft was carrying a total of 14 Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) members.

In his message, the monarch expressed great sadness over the accident. He also hoped that the family members would be patient and pray for the souls of the deceased to be blessed and placed among the pious.

The monarch also prayed for the swift recovery of the injured persons.

His Majesty commanded the RBAF and relevant agencies to carry out urgent action in searching the missing persons.

Earlier, the monarch consented to go to the Royal Brunei Air Base to personally see the victims being flown in from the crash site accompanied by His Royal Highness Second Lieutenant Prince 'Abdul Mateen.

The monarch also visited the injured persons and their families at RIPAS. 

 

The Brunei Times

 

Brunei stands united in face of tragedy

Azlan Othman

Family members of the late Lt (U) Pg Arif Iskandar bin Pg Hj Shabuddin weep openly during the burial.

 

Rezona binti Hj Tajuddin, the wife of the late Lt (U) Pg Arif Iskandar bin Pg Hj Shabuddin, pouring the 'ayeng asah-asahan' onto his grave.

 

The Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces, Major General Dato Paduka Seri Hj Aminuddin Ihsan prays during the funeral of the late S/Sgt (U) Mohd Amin bin Awg Mahmud.

 

Hundreds of family members, relatives and friends of the victims of the tragedy pray for the departed at the Jame' 'Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Muslim Cemetery in Kiarong. - PHOTOS: AZLAN OTHMAN

 

The nation stood united yesterday as they mourned the tragic loss of 12 Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) personnel who lost their lives after the Bell 212 helicopter they were in crashed in a remote area of the Belait District Friday afternoon.

"In the early morning hours of yesterday, the Royal Brunei Air Force (RBAirF) continued its search and rescue operation for the missing personnel involved in the Bell 212 crash.

"As of noon yesterday, all personnel involved in the crash had been accounted for, bringing the tally of fatalities to 12 with two survivors," the Ministry of Defence said in a press statement yesterday.

The ministry added that between Friday night and Saturday morning, all the victims had been transported to the Surau of the Bolkiah Garrison, in preparation for their burial, under the supervision of personnel from the RBAF Religious Department. Family, relatives, friends, as well as officers and personnel of the Ministry of Defence and the Royal Brunei Armed Forces, were also present to pray for the victims.

Meanwhile, the two survivors of the crash are currently being treated at the RIPAS Hospital and were currently in stable condition.

Yesterday, thousands gathered at Muslim cemeteries in several locations, including the Jame' 'Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Muslim Cemetery and Rangas Muslim Cemetery near the RIPAS Hospital, to pay their final respects.

The mood and atmosphere were sombre as tahlils for the departed and verses of al-Quran were read at the cemeteries, where grieving family members broke down in tears.

Rezona binti Hj Tajuddin, the wife of the late Lt (U) Pg Arif Iskandar bin Pg Hj Shabuddin, the pilot of the helicopter, told the Bulletin that she could not believe at first what she was hearing when news first broke out around 7pm on Friday night.

"I was informed about the ill-fated mishap by the army personnel. But I wanted to see it for myself with my own eyes to get the truth," she said, as she held her only child - an 18-month-old girl - at the cemetery.

The father-in-law of the late Lt (U) Pg Arif Iskandar - Hj Tajuddin bin Amit - said they were informed about the incident around 7pm on Friday and were told to go directly to the Rimba Air Base. The body of the deceased was then escorted to the Bokiah Garrison Surau to undergo prayer rituals.

Meanwhile, another burial ceremony was held yesterday morning at Rangas Muslim Cemetery for the late S/Sgt (U) Mohd Amin bin Awg Mahmud.

Siti Salmah binti Hj Murni, the adoptive mother of the late S/Sgt (U) Mohd Amin bin Awg Mahmud told the Bulletin that she last saw the deceased on Sunday.

"I received a call from my in-laws after prayer on Friday informing me about the helicopter crash. I pray to Allah the Almighty for the deceased to be placed amongst the pious. The late S/Sgt (U) Mohd Amin left behind a wife and six children.

The Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces, Major General Dato Paduka Seri Hj Aminuddin Ihsan bin Pehin Orang Kaya Saiful Mulok Dato Seri Paduka Hj Abidin was also present at the burials at the Jame' 'Asr Hassanil Bolkiah and Rangas Muslim cemeteries.

 Borneo Bulletin SUNDAY - July 22, 2012.

Friends remember kind-hearted Azahar Sulong

Nazirul Hakeem A & Efna ARS

Ex-UBD Student Representative Council memebers and some of the late Azahar Sulong's friends reciting Tahlil and Doa Arwah at his grave at An Naim Cemetery.

Friends of the young officer cadet, 19970 PKDT Mohd Azahar Sulong, who lost his life in Friday's helicopter crash, have expressed their shock in losing a close friend.

The late Azahar Sulong was the Chairman of Residential College Organisation (RESCO) intake 2008/2009, ex-committee member of the Student Representative Council of UBD as well as a former member of the UBD Table Tennis Club.

He was described by his friends as a great leader and a team player who was willing to do everything he could to help his colleagues.

According to one of his childhood friends, his body was buried at around 2.30am yesterday at the An Naim Cemetery in Anduki.

A group of his UBD friends was also at the cemetery yesterday morning to pay their last respects and to recite tahlil and Doa Arwah for the late Azahar Sulong.

Most of them expressed their shock at the news of the helicopter tragedy and his demise.

The late Azahar Sulong, the second child in the family, was a born leader, kind-hearted and much more.

"I still remember his words to me before he was selected to be in the 8th intake of the Officer's Cadet School (OCS)," said one of his friends.

"He told me that, 'as soon as I enter the OCS, I will help my family, especially my parents, to renovate our house, just so it could accommodate my siblings and my parents.

"I want to make our new home as a place where we, as a family can gather together, and strengthen our bonds'.

"As a friend, he always tried to make people happy.

"He cared about people's feelings and never failed to share what he had with whoever was with him. And he always forgave people for their mistakes.

"Three years of being around him at Universiti Brunei Darussalam revealed to me a person who was humble and hard to forget."

In an interview, one of the late Azahar Sulong's friends who paid his last respects at the Anduki cemetery, Afiq Ahmad Mahmud said, "I was shocked when I first heard the news, and I did not believe it. When I saw the (casualty) name list that was spread in Brunei, I saw my friend's name. I was speechless and felt very sad."

When we visited his residence at Jln Parak, RPN Kg Panaga, we were immediately touched by the sorrow of the family.

Relatives and close friends offered kind words, prayers and warm embraces to the grieving parents and siblings.

The shock of the sudden demise of their beloved son and brother still affects the family and we hope that they will find the strength to face this challenge.

The late Azahar Sulong was a strong willed-person who had an optimistic view of life.

According to the Belait Fire and Rescue Department, its Labi station was on standby on Friday night for a call from RBAF requesting their assistance.

Postings are on the social media, particularly Facebook, to express grief and condolences for the demise of the fallen heroes, especially among former UBD graduates whose friends died in the tragedy.

It reminded us that life is so fragile that we can never expect what will happen next.

Borneo Bulletin SUNDAY - July 22, 2012.

 

Burial ceremony for chopper crash victim

Syafiq Affendy

 

Family members and friends paying their final respects to 21700 PKDT Dk Nurazimah Pg Hassanan.

 

During the burial ceremony. - PHOTOS: DEAN KASSIM

The bodies of the two victims initially listed as missing following Friday's helicopter crash in Ulu Belait were retrieved yesterday by members of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces.

Family members and friends of one of the deceased, 21700 PKDT Dk Nurazimah Pg Hassanan, gathered at the Bolkiah Garrison Surau yesterday to pay their final respects to the officer cadet, who was among the 14 on their way back from training aboard the Bell 212 helicopter.

Among those present was the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Pehin Orang Kaya Pekerma Laila Diraja Dato Seri Setia Awg Hj Hazair bin Hj Abdullah.

The burial ceremony for the departed took place at Kg Pulaie Cemetery after the mass Jenazah prayers.

Fourteen members of the RBAF were involved in accident, from which only two survived.

 Borneo Bulletin SUNDAY - July 22, 2012.