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.
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