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| The Commander of the RBAF, Major General Dato Paduka Seri Hj Aminuddin Ihsan Pehin Orang Kaya Saiful Mulok Dato Seri Paduka Hj Abidin |
BRUNEI-MUARA
A SPECIAL investigation tasked to ascertain the cause of a helicopter crash, which killed 12 Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) soldiers in Ulu Belait last month, is still ongoing.
Speaking to The Brunei Times for the first time since the accident, RBAF Commander Major General Dato Paduka Seri Hj Aminuddin Ihsan Pehin Orang Kaya Saiful Mulok Dato Seri Paduka Hj Abidin said they will endeavour to complete the investigation "as soon as possible". When asked whether the findings will be made public, the RBAF Commander pledged that the Ministry of Defence (MinDef) will be "very transparent". "The investigation will take time. Looking at the timeframe for investigations that have been done in other countries, it's not a simple task that can be done in a few weeks. We have to be very thorough and systematic," he said.
Major General Dato Hj Aminuddin shared that the highly anticipated findings will be instrumental towards the prevention of similar tragedies in the future.
An aircraft accident investigation team from the Royal Brunei Air Force (RBAirF) was established to oversee the investigation, which began immediately after the helicopter accident occured, supported by international investigators from the United States and Canada.
A preliminary report has also been submitted to the highest level of Board of Inquiry led by Frist Admiral Dato Seri Pahlawan Abd Halim Hj Mohd Hanifah, Commander of the Royal Brunei Navy (RBN).
Commenting on the helicopter tragedy that killed 12 soldiers and injured two others on the eve of the Ramadhan fasting month, Major General Dato Hj Aminuddin said that it was "a sad moment, not only for the RBAF, but for the nation itself."
"The passing of our soldiers in the helicopter crash is a huge loss to us. Their sacrifices will be forever remembered," he said in mourning.
The RBAF Commander also conveyed prayers for the families of the victims and thanked them for their support coupled with understanding. "We will always ensure that their families are taken care of," he stated.
On July 20, an RBAirF Bell 212 helicopter that was returning to Bandar Seri Begawan was involved in an accident during the afternoon in Ulu Belait.
The military aircraft was carrying 14 passengers, who were undergoing training. 12 soldiers on board were killed in the crash, while two survived. The majority of the passengers were officer cadets of the latest intake from the RBAF Officer Cadet School (OCS) in Sg Akar.
Dipetik dari - The Brunei Times
Bell 212 choppers to resume services: commander
Rabiatul Kamit
BRUNEI-MUARA
THE fleet of Royal Brunei Air Force (RBAirF) Bell 212 helicopters, one of which crashed in Ulu Belait last month killing 12 soldiers, is expected to be back in rotation "very soon".
In an interview with The Brunei Times yesterday, the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) Commander rebuked allegations that the RBAirF fleet of Bell 212 helicopters were "grounded" after the accident which occurred on July 20.
Major General Dato Paduka Seri Hj Aminuddin Ihsan Pehin Orang Kaya Saiful Mulok Dato Seri Paduka Hj Abidin explained that the fleet is currently undergoing temporary suspension of services.
"It's not grounded. We are only stopping the services of the fleet pending further assessments. Safety is our number one concern. InsyaAllah, the fleet will resume its services in the coming days. It is expected to happen very soon," he said.
The services of the RBAirF fleet of Bell 212 helicopters were halted following the worst aviation incident in the history of Brunei.
With nearly half of its entire aircraft inventory under suspension, the RBAirF is presently relying on its Sikorsky Blackhawk S-70A and BO105 helicopters to carry out its operations until the fleet of Bell 212 helicopters resume its services.
Major General Dato Hj Aminuddin further stated that operations have been prioritised with medical services and border patrol taking precedence in light of the RBAirF's temporary reduced capability.
Last year, MinDef announced a deal 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.
When asked if the helicopter tragedy has compelled MinDef to accelerate delivery of the Blackhawk S-70i helicopters, the RBAF Commander stated that the estimated delivery time remains unaffected.
"It depends on the other party, but we are still expecting the first batch to be delivered according to schedule. That hasn't changed," he said. The fleet of 12 Blackhawk S-70i helicopters is slated to be delivered to Brunei in early 2014.
Apart from the helicopter crash on July 20, the RBAirF Bell 212 was also involved in an accident in Temburong in February this year. However, no fatalities were reported.
Dipetik dari - The Brunei Times
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