The crash involved a BO-105 helicopter registered as 9M-LLF, which was conducting a medical mission from Miri to remote communities, including Long Lellang. The aircraft crashed near the Long Lellang short take-off and landing airport. According to a statement from the Health Ministry, the five individuals aboard were pilot Captain Zainol Afiq Bee Sham, medical officer Dr Ainul Baraah Kamaruddin, assistant medical officer Alexson Adit Henry, and nurses Debra Moset and Jessie Paya Jok. A disaster management committee official in Miri confirmed to state news agency Bernama that all five passengers died in the incident.
Search operations at the crash site were complicated by hazy conditions, which prevented rescuers from using air services. Video footage posted to social media showed the helicopter flying under control but trailing thick gray smoke before it crashed and burst into flames. The operator of the aircraft, Layang-Layang Aerospace, voluntarily halted operations for its BO-105 helicopters and other fleet aircraft equipped with Rolls-Royce 250-series engines. Captain Norazman Mahmud, CEO of the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM), emphasized that this grounding was a precautionary measure and did not establish that an engine failure or another component caused the accident. CAAM is currently monitoring the operator’s inspections and reviewing aircraft, operator, and pilot records.
The Flying Doctor Service is designed to bring healthcare workers to communities with limited access to permanent medical facilities. The Health Ministry’s review will examine safety protocols, contracts, oversight mechanisms, and alternative methods for reaching these remote areas. The crash has also disrupted scheduled passenger services; AirBorneo reported that the Long Lellang airstrip temporarily closed to commercial operations, prompting the airline to move two flights originally scheduled for September 9 to September 11.
Malaysia’s Air Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), part of the Transport Ministry, is leading the investigation into the cause of the crash. Deputy Transport Minister Hasbi Habibollah stated on September 11 that investigators were on-site. Norazman indicated that an initial report is expected within 30 days, with a final report due within a year.
