Kuching, Malaysia - THE recovery of the Eurocopter EC120 helicopter wreckage from Sungai Batang Lupar is crucial for investigations into the aircraft's crash in which all three passengers died, Department of Civil Aviation director-general Datuk Azharuddin Abdul Rahman said yesterday.
In an interview with TV3, he said his department was seeking the help of agencies that had the expertise to pin-point the exact location of the wreckage underwater and then help his department recover the wreck.
"We have not found the wreck," said Azharuddin.
The four-year-old, single-engine European-built helicopter plunged into the river near Kampung Triso last Friday, killing quantity surveyor Siti Khuzaimah Annuar, 27, architect Henry Loh, 42 and a vice-president of Parti Keadilan Rakyat Peter Ato Mayau, 53.
The 35-year-old pilot survived the crash.
Recovery of the wreckage would allow crash investigators to determine what caused the accident.
Azharuddin said investigators had already interviewed the pilot, German national Rico Steger, here last Saturday and they had also visited the crash site.
"I can't say much or speculate because we have yet to look at what could have caused the crash."
He was surprised when asked if Sebiro Holdings, the company that owned the helicopter, had permission to park the aircraft in its compound in a residential area next to a busy highway.
"I thought it took off from the Kuching International Airport. I will have to look into that."
The helicopter took off from the Sebiro compound in Simpang Tiga at 8.57am and crashed 25 minutes later.
Authorities learnt of the crash in the afternoon.
Steger swam for several hours to Kampung Tebelu to seek help.
Source: http://www.nst.com.my/nation/general/bid-to-find-crashed-copter-1.111781
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