Kerosakan di sana sini

Oleh Sim Y. H, Mohamad Asyramisyanie, Imelda Groves HA & Anwar Rosly


BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, 10 Julai – Gempar di seluruh negara apabila kejadian angin kencang mengejut berlaku tanpa sebarang amaran awal petang hari ini menyebabkan banyak kejadian pokok tumbang, atap terbang, khemah perniagaan musnah, kerosakan harta benda dan kesesakan jalan raya sehingga lewat petang.

Angin yang bertiup kencang kira-kira 20 hingga 30 minit itu menumbangkan pokok–pokok besar di beberapa batang jalan utama antaranya di Tungku Link, di mana tiga pokok besar mengadang perjalanan menuju ke arah Jerudong berhampiran Institut Perkhidmatan Awam di Tungku.

Selain daripada itu, sekurang-kurangnya 36 buah rumah di Kampong Ayer turut terjejas, dengan salah satu daripadanya musnah sama sekali, dan yang paling teruk adalah di Kampung Burong Pingai.

Menteri Kebudayaan, Belia dan Sukan, Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Pekerma Laila Draja Dato Seri Setia Haji Hazair bin Haji Abdullah, turut turun padang bagi meninjau keadaan di Kampong Ayer.

Turut serta ialah Timbalan Menteri Hal Ehwal Dalam Negeri, Yang Dimuliakan Pehin Datu Lailaraja Mejar Jeneral (B) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof, dan Timbalan Menteri Kebudayaan, Belia dan Sukan, Datin Paduka Hajah Adina binti Othman.

Di ibu negara, kawasan Gerai Ramadan di kawasan letak kereta Bangunan Adat Istiadat Diraja turut terjejas di mana beberapa buah khemah diterbangkan dan membantutkan aktiviti perniagaan di sana.

Ketika dihubungi, pegawai perhubungan awam Jabatan Bomba dan Penyelamat memberitahu sehingga 9 malam ini, Pusat Gerakan jabatan berkenaan tidak putus-putus menerima panggilan kecemasan meskipun keadaan cuaca sudah reda.

Menurut beliau, kebanyakan panggilan yang diterima adalah aduan mengenai pokok tumbang dan atap diterbangkan di beberapa lokasi termasuk di Kampong Ayer dan di kawasan darat di keempat-empat daerah.

“Anggota Jabatan Bomba dan Penyelamat akan memotong pokok-pokok yang menghalang pergerakan lalu lintas dan bagi kes atap terbang pula pihak jabatan akan menutup lubang menggunakan kanvas sebagai tindakan awal,” jelasnya.

Beliau turut menasihatkan supaya orang ramai lebih berhati-hati dan jika angin ribut dan hujan lebat terus berlaku kekal di dalam rumah atau di kawasan yang selamat serta mengelakkan diri daripada memandu sehingga keadaan benar-benar selamat.

Sementara itu, di Berek Polis Berakas pula kejadian yang sama berlaku, menyebabkan kerosakan pada bangunan dan harta benda di 13 unit bangunan berek kelamin.

Pesuruhjaya Polis Diraja Brunei, Dato Paduka Seri Bahrin bin Mohd Noor turut turun padang meninjau keadaan anggota polis yang menetap di sana.

Kenyataan pegawai perhubungan awam Polis Diraja Brunei menjelaskan bahawa, tindakan segera dilaksanakan bagi memastikan kesejahteraan anggota yang terjejas dengan memindahkan mereka ke tempat tinggal sementara bagi kerja-kerja pembaikpulihan.

Kejadian angin kencang dan ribut yang melanda ibu kota hari ini turut menyebabkan kerosakan kepada beberapa buah sekolah di sekitar Bandar Seri Begawan.

Ia jelas kelihatan di beberapa buah sekolah di sana yang mengalami kerosakan di bahagian pagar yang ditimpa pokok tumbang dan sebuah sekolah swasta yang mengalami kerosakan di bahagian bumbung.

Wartawan Media Permata yang meninjau di beberapa buah lokasi di sana melaporkan kerosakan turut dialami Sekolah Menengah Chung Hwa Bandar Seri Begawan yang kehilangan bumbung dewan sekolah berkenaan kira-kira pukul 3 petang tadi.

Turut ditemui di sana ialah Pengerusi Lembaga Pengarah Sekolah Menengah Chung Hwa Bandar Seri Begawan, Ong Tiong Oh dan juga Pengetua sekolah, Kho Guik Lan yang menyatakan perasaan syukur bahawa semasa kejadian itu, tidak ada pelajar berada di dewan berkenaan kerana cuti persekolahan.

Sementara itu, di Daerah Belait, situasi serupa turut dapat disaksikan, di mana lima kejadian berasingan dilaporkan di kawasan Rasau, Kampung Mumong dan sekitar Jalan Singa Menteri, termasuk beberapa insiden kecil yang berlaku di Seria dan Lumut akibat angin ribut kencang.

Kejadian awal dilaporkan berlaku di Jambatan Rasau apabila sebuah pokok tumbang menyebabkan kesesakan lalu lintas dari jambatan sehingga ke Tol Rasau dan dua kes kemalangan kereta berlaku di sepanjang Jalan Singa Menteri yang juga menyebabkan kesesakan lalu lintas yang panjang dari Jalan Pandan 8 hingga ke pusing keliling berdekatan Kampung Panaga.

Sebuah papan tanda besar berdekatan dengan Rasau di Jalan Maharaja Setia juga tumbang ditiup angin, namun tidak menghalang jalan raya seperti di jalan-jalan yang lain.

Dalam satu kejadian yang berlaku pada jam 2 petang, atap tempat letak kereta di rumah seorang penduduk Kampung Mumong tercabut dan menghempap atap bumbung tempat letak kereta jiran sebelah.

Apabila wartawan Media Permata tiba di rumah Dayang Siti Hawa binti Nahar itu, sebuah jentera bomba dari Operasi Cawangan B sudah berada di sana untuk melihat keadaan kerosakan yang dialami.

Menurut Dayang Siti Hawa, selepas selesai bersembahyang beliau dikejutkan dengan panggilan anaknya yang terdengar bunyi seperti dentuman kuat di luar rumah.

“Apabila saya keluar untuk memeriksa punca bunyi tersebut saya mendapati atap bumbung tempat letak kereta saya tercabut dan menimpa atap bumbung tempat letak kereta jiran saya,” jelasnya.

Bagaimanapun setelah memeriksa, mujurlah tiada kerosakan yang berlaku ke atas kereta-kereta mereka.

Sementara itu, beberapa anggota bomba juga pergi ke rumah Awang Mohammad Suhaili bin Abdullah di Kampung Lumut untuk memasang kanvas bagi menggantikan atap rumah yang tercabut, bagaimanapun tiada kerosakan lain yang dilaporkan.

Menurut Pegawai Pemerintah Balai Bomba Cawangan B, Kuala Belait, Awang Muhd Shahreeni bin Haji Yussof, sebanyak tiga panggilan mengenai pokok tumbang yang menghadang jalan diterima, manakala itu, dua panggilan diterima bagi kejadian atap terbang dan tiga panggilan lain mengenai pokok tumbang.


Sumber - Media Permata

Anguish as bodies, debris found from AirAsia Flight 8501

A grim discovery in the waters off Indonesia on Tuesday dealt a heartbreaking blow to families whose loved ones were lost on AirAsia Flight QZ8501, and their anguish was felt around the world.

Debris from the plane was spotted about 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the aircraft's last known location over the Java Sea, off the coast of Indonesia's Central Kalimantan province on Borneo.

Three bodies were recovered -- two women and one man, Indonesian search and rescue chief Bambang Soelistyo said, according to the Indonesian state-run Antara news agency.

"To the relatives, I feel your loss, and all of us pray that all of the families are given the strength and fortitude during this incident," Indonesian President Joko Widodo told journalists. He then went to meet with families.

"We are sorry to be here today under these tragic circumstances," said Sunu Widyatmoko, head of AirAsia Indonesia. "We would like to extend our sincere sympathies to the family and friends of those on board QZ8501. Our sympathies also go out to the families of our dear colleagues."

"My heart is filled with sadness for all the families involved in QZ 8501," AirAsia CEO Tony Fernandes tweeted. "On behalf of AirAsia my condolences to all. Words cannot express how sorry I am."

Later, speaking with reporters, Fernandes said there is now "at least some closure" for families that might have been "holding out hope."

Hospitals in the Indonesian city of Surabaya are being prepared to help house and identify bodies being recovered off the coast of Borneo.

As families watched a live news conference about the discovery of the debris and saw video of a helicopter lowering a diver to what appeared to be a floating body, some people fainted. Stretchers were brought into the room.

Family members burst into tears, dabbing their eyes as officials passed out tissues. Some sat with their eyes full of tears, hands covering their mouths or heads buried in their hands. Others had phones jammed against their ears.

Military crew spotted an object's shadow

Soelistyo, the head of Indonesia's search and rescue agency, said the debris was discovered when a crew on a military aircraft spotted the shadow of an object that looked like a plane in the water.

Further searching found floating objects believed to be the bodies of passengers, and then what appeared to be an emergency exit of the plane. Officials sent other search teams racing to the area.

Several nations are contributing resources to the effort, including the United States. The U.S. Navy destroyer USS Sampson arrived Tuesday.

The USS Fort Worth is also being prepared to deploy from Singapore, Pentagon spokesman Rear Adm. John Kirby told CNN on Tuesday. It "can be ready to sail in a day or two to get on station and can be there very quickly," he said.

The United States is also preparing maritime patrol aircraft that could help, he said.

The flight, which was lost Sunday on its way to Singapore, was carrying 155 passengers and seven crew members. The overwhelming majority were Indonesians. There were also citizens of Britain, France, Malaysia, Singapore and South Korea.

Search and rescue teams are diverting all their resources to where the debris is, in the Karimata Strait, about 110 nautical miles southwest of the Indonesian city of Pangkalan Bun, AirAsia said.

Divers and ships with sonar equipment are being sent to the site, where the water depth varies between 25 and 30 meters (about 80 to 100 feet), Soelistyo said.

How can a modern airliner vanish?

Unanswered questions

Fernandes said the focus for now must remain on the recovery effort, and no sweeping changes were planned for the airline, which has 1,000 flights a day. "But rest assured," he said, that once the investigation is done, if "there are things we need to change, that we will change it."

The Airbus A320-200 lost contact with air traffic control early Sunday shortly after the pilot requested permission to turn and climb to a higher altitude because of bad weather, according to Indonesian officials.

Authorities mounted a huge effort to find the aircraft, mapping out a search zone covering 156,000 square kilometers.

Questions remain unanswered about why Flight 8501 lost contact with air traffic control and what happened afterward.

Some experts have said the aircraft might have experienced an aerodynamic stall because of a lack of speed or from flying at too sharp an angle to get enough lift.

Analysts have also suggested that the pilots might not have been getting information from onboard systems about the plane's position or that rain or hail from thunderstorms in the area could have damaged the engines.

The key to understanding what happened is likely to be contained in the aircraft's flight recorders.

"Until we get the black boxes, we won't know what's going on with the engines," Bill Savage, a former pilot with 30 years of experience, told CNN.

'It was to be his last vacation with his family'

Details have emerged about some of the people on board the plane.

They include Alain Oktavianus Siauw, whose fiance says she was on her way to the airport to pick him up when she heard the plane had gone missing.

Louise Sidharta said Siauw was supposed to be enjoying a family vacation before the two got married. "It was to be his last vacation with his family," she said.

Siauw's Facebook page says he lives in Malang, a province in Indonesia.

The disappearance of Flight 8501 also stirred painful memories of the families of people on board Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, which dropped off radar over the South China Sea in March.

Nearly 10 months later, searchers are still combing remote reaches of the southern Indian Ocean for any trace of the Boeing 777 that had 239 people on board.

"The lack of ability to close things down emotionally is just exhausting," Sarah Bajc told CNN on Monday night. Her partner, Philip Woods, was on board Flight 370.

When news broke that another plane had disappeared this week, Bajc said, "I just started to shake."


Sumber - CNN.com

CONDOLENCE

The President, all members of the National Development Party (NDP) and the people of Negara Brunei Darussalam are deeply saddened by the latest news of the disappearance of Malaysian Airlines MH 370 together with all the 13 crew members and 226 passengers on board the fateful aircraft.

We deeply regret to hear the sad news, as officially announced by the Malaysian Government, that MH370 has, beyond any reasonable doubt, likely ended its flight in the southern Indian Ocean.

Our deepest sympathies to all family members of the crews and passengers of MH 370 for their loss.

May Allah the Most Compassionate grants all family members the serenity and peace that you all need in going through this difficult time.

Our thoughts and prayers to all crews and passengers of MH 370 who presumably perished together with the disappearance of MH 370.

May Allah the Most Gracious give everyone the comfort and peace during this difficult time and may the souls of your loved one rest in peace.

More to be done to reduce high road accidents

Koo Jin Shen
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

IN ORDER to bring down the Sultanate's relatively high road accident statistics, which is in the high end of the world wide average more campaigns are being looked into.

In an interview with The Brunei Times, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Communications, also the Brunei Darussalam Road Safety Council Chairman Abdul Mutalib Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Setia Dato Paduka Hj Mohd Yusof highlighted fatalities due to road accidents as of last year are still at the 'high end' of a world wide average.

"We are still on the high end side," he said, stating also that the global annual average is around three per 100,000 population for road fatalities. In Brunei for 2011, it was around 12 per hundred thousand population, though it has significantly reduced last year.

"The number of fatalities in 2012 has gone down from 47 (fatalities) to 26. What we want to do is to reduce this, as 26 fatalities in a population of 400,000 is quite high (around six per hundred thousand population). We are looking at good practices done in countries like Europe and Japan, who have well below the 'three' per 100,000" said Abdul Mutalib.

Awareness and Safety campaigns are being planned throughout the year, he said, "We have a few things going hopefully this year, and there will be a lot of road safety campaigns being done from time to time."

He said that there are three areas they conducting. The first is encouraging road safety awareness through religious activities. The permanent secretary said that they hope to hold bimonthly special prayers, which includes Doa Selamat and recital of relevant prayers through selected mosques.

The second is through educational activities, such as the recently held World Telecommunications and Information Society Day 2013 Drawing and Essay competition which focused on how ICT can help improve road safety.

"These help tell the children what the implications are (for road safety)," he said, noting that some 400 over children had participated. "These children will have road safety in their minds and we hope they can convey that message to their parents, who bring them to school," he said.

The third campaign they intend to do focused on infrastructure and technical areas. He said the Brunei Darussalam Road Safety Council has a number of relevant agencies involved in road safety, and they plan to look around community areas such as schools and mosques in Brunei to help enhance safety for road users including pedestrians.

Dipetik dari - The Brunei Times

Pakar luar buat siasatan

Yang Berhormat Pehin Awang Haji Suyoi semasa
mengadakan lawatan ke tapak insiden kelmarin

Oleh James Kon

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, 30 Sept - Kementerian Pembangunan telah melantik sepasukan pakar dari luar negara untuk menjalankan siasatan terhadap insiden pelik yang berlaku di Takungan Air Melabau pada 25 September lalu di mana tangki air paras tinggi berharga lebih $1 juta, yang mampu menampung sehingga 3,000 meter padu air tiba-tiba runtuh semasa ujian sedang dijalankan.

Dan mujurlah tiada sesiapa yang cedera dalam insiden itu.

Menteri Pembangunan Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Suyoi Haji Osman yang mengadakan lawatan ke tapak insiden untuk melihat secara lebih dekat akan kerosakan yang berlaku berkata, laporan pakar-pakar tersebut dijangka dikeluarkan dalam tempoh dua minggu.

Menurut Yang Berhormat Pehin, projek tersebut adalah untuk memenuhi permintaan air pada masa akan datang. Pada masa ini ia diharap sudah hampir siap dan berfungsi bagi membekalkan air ke kawasan perumahan.

"Kami pada masa ini sedang menyiasat punca insiden. Ia mungkin berpunca daripada struktur atau asas atau mungkin simpanan yang berat. Kami juga mendapatkan khidmat pakar-pakar dari luar negara untuk menyiasat punca kejadian," jelas Yang Berhormat Pehin kepada media semasa kunjungan lawatan itu.

Juga hadir pada lawatan tersebut adalah Setiausaha Tetap Pembangunan Dato Paduka Haji Suhaimi Haji Gafar dan Timbalan Setiausaha Tetap Pembangunan Eddie Dato Paduka Haji Sunny bersama pegawai-pegawai lain.

Menjawab satu pertanyaan, Yang Berhormat Pehin berkata, pada masa ini tidak berlaku sebarang gangguan bekalan air akibat insiden itu memandangkan projek itu bertujuan untuk memenuhi permintaan air pada masa depan.

"Bagaimanapun apabila projek perumahan kami selesai manakala projek ini belum lagi siap, maka ia sudah pasti mengakibatkan masalah terhadap bekalan air.

Susulan kejadian robohnya projek tangki air itu, Yang Berhormat Menteri Pembangunan berkata, insiden itu memaksa pihak kementerian mencari strategi lain untuk memastikan bekalan air tidak akan terjejas.

"Kami mahu projek ini diselesaikan secepat yang mungkin walaupun sudah terdapat sedikit penangguhan dalam projek itu."

Satu-satunya orang yang berada di tempat kejadian ketika insiden berlaku adalah penyelia projek tersebut. Menceritakan semula kejadian itu, penyelia tersebut berkata; "Saya sedang menguji tangki air sebelum pentauliahan rasmi. Tiba-tiba saya terdengar bunyi keretakan yang kuat apabila tangki itu diisi dengan air.

"Saya cuba untuk memanggil kontraktor di dalam struktur tersebut tetapi tidak ada isyarat, lalu saya pergi ke luar untuk membuat panggilan. Sebaik sahaja saya sampai di luar, struktur tersebut roboh dan air dari tangki tersebut keluar dengan derasnya. "Saya bernasib baik kerana berada di tempat bertentangan dari laluan air dan tidak mengalami kecederaan dari insiden itu. Saya benar-benar terkejut apabila struktur takungan itu roboh dan saya terselamat," katanya sambil memberitahu bahawa keretanya mengalami kerosakan teruk dalam insiden itu.

Dipetik dari - Media Permata

'Human error' blamed for Bell 212 crash

RBAF Commander Major General Dato Paduka Seri Hj Aminuddin Ihsan (L),
Deputy Minister of Defence Dato Paduka Hj Mustappa Hj Sirat (C) and
Navy Commander First Admiral Dato Seri Pahlawan Hj Abd Halim
giving a briefing on the findings of the Bell 212 helicopter crash inquiry

Quratul-Ain Bandial
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

A BOARD of inquiry has found that"human error" was to blame for the fatal crash of a Royal Brunei Air Force (RBAirF) helicopter last July, stating that the aircraft was flying at an "unauthorised low level" causing it to collide with two trees in the Belait jungle.

Initial findings released by the Ministry of Defence yesterday also said that the Department of Civil Aviation did not follow procedure when it failed to notify the military that the Bell 212 chopper had not made contact with air traffic control for more than 30 minutes.

The helicopter was carrying 14 military personnel back from jungle training in Mukim Labi when it crashed killing 12 onboard.

There was no evidence of bad weather or technical error, said Commander of the Royal Brunei Navy First Admiral Dato Seri Pahlawan Hj Abd Halim Hj Mohd Hanifah, who headed the military's investigation.

This was confirmed by three independent investigation teams Pratt and Whitney Canada, Bell Textron United States and the United States Army Combat Readiness Center Air Accident Investigation Team who were engaged to assist the inquiry.

Speaking to reporters, Dato Hj Abd Halim said piecing together the closest scenario without the help of a black box which Bell 212 choppers are not equipped with was a difficult task.

According to evidence gathered during the investigation, it is believed the pilot was flying at an "unauthorised low level" with speeds around 60-80 knots near Wasai Wang Tebadak. The aircraft banked at a 45 degree angle in order to follow the path of the river and strayed from its original height due to "g-force" factors. The pilot was unable to raise the aircraft's altitude causing it to collide with two trees.

The Bell 212 is believed to have crashed at 10.15am, more than an hour after it took off at 8.55am. The last radio contact made with air traffic control was at 9.17am.

According to Department of Civil Aviation procedure, each aircraft is required to make the an "Ops Normal Call" every 30 minutes but air traffic control did not inform RBAirF when the Bell 212 had not made contact for more than 30 minutes. Due to this, the "INCEFRA" (uncertainty phase) was not executed nor RBAF distress procedure.

The search and rescue mission only began at 1.53pm, when the aircraft was confirmed missing. Aircraft debris was first found in the area near Wasai Wang Tebadak at 3:55pm.

In the wake of the crash, Dato Hj Abd Halim said safety procedures would need to be "tightened" to prevent similar incidents from recurring.

"The procedures need tightening up, the training, and time maybe. Also we look at this holistically it will be a process that will be painful but there is no other way."

When asked how the accounts of the two survivors, who have been discharged from hospital, factored into the investigation, he said: "We listened to the statements of the survivors but as you all know they are also facing a difficult time to recap what was going on. And all statements must be backed with evidence at the crash site."

A full report complete with recommendations will be submitted to the Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) on September 16.

A briefing for families of the crash victims was also held yesterday at the officers' mess at Bolkiah Garrison.

RBAF Commander Major General Dato Paduka Seri Hj Aminuddin Ihsan Pehin Orang Kaya Saiful Mulok Dato Seri Paduka Hj Abidin said families of the deceased officers would receive their pensions and other benefits.

"We will take care of the welfare of the families... The families of the officers and trained soldiers will be getting their pensions and gratuities and we will hasten the process."

When asked how the families reacted to the inquiry's findings, he said: "I have to say that things are being taken in a good way, in a very calm situation. The families are sad, and that is also what the armed forces are feeling in facing this tragedy. I think that the information is being made transparent to them, which is what we are trying to highlight here."

Dato Hj Abd Halim added: "It is something that is very difficult to swallow... But we have worked very hard to come to the nearest picture (from the evidence) we can collect."

Dipetik dari - The Brunei Times


LIPUTAN MEDIA PESAWAT BELL 212 TERHEMPAS DI ULU RAMPAYOH MUKIM LABI PADA 20 JULAI 2012

Assalamu’alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh
Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim

Berikut adalah hasil penemuan Lembaga Penyiasatan:

Pesawat Bell 212 milik Tentera Udara Diraja Brunei bersama 14 orang anggota (3 krew pesawat dan 2 jurulatih, 1 kakitangan dan 8 Pegawai Kadet, Sekolah Pegawai Kadet) telah terhempas berdekatan dengan Wasai Wang Tebadak, Mukim Labi pada hari Jumaat, 20 Julai 2012 ketika membuat penugasan pengangkutan balik anggota yang telah menjalani latihan ketenteraan dari Tapak Pendaratan KB 404 ke Tapak Pendaratan KB 199. Pesawat tersebut dipercayai terhempas kira-kira jam 10.15 pagi.

Pesawat berlepas dari pangkalan TUDB sekitar jam 8.55 pagi dan perhubungan radio terakhir pesawat dengan Brunei Radar ialah pada jam 9.17 pagi. Mengikut prosedur penerbangan Kawalan Lalulintas Udara, Jabatan Penerbangan Awam, setiap pesawat yang beroperasi di ruang udara negara adalah dikehendaki membuat perhubungan ‘ops normal call’ setiap 30 minit. Akan tetapi tidak ada sebarang perhubungan yang dibuat selepas itu dan pihak Kawalan Lalulintas Udara, Jabatan Penerbangan Awam tidak melakukan tindakan ‘INCERFA’ (uncertainty phase) dan memaklumkan kepada pihak ABDB untuk melaksanakan distress procedure. Ini berlarutan sehingga beberapa jam kemudian mengakibatkan tindakan ‘alerting service’ tidak dilaksanakan mengikut prosedur.

Operasi Mencari dan Menyelamat hanya dimulakan sejurus pesawat tersebut disahkan hilang oleh pihak Tentera Udara Diraja Brunei kira-kira jam 1.53 petang. Serpihan pesawat ditemui di kawasan berdekatan Wasai Wang Tebadak kira-kira jam 3.55 petang.

Kementerian Pertahanan dan ABDB telah menubuhkan satu Lembaga Penyiasatan Tertinggi pada 25 Julai 2012. Lembaga ini dipertanggungjawabkan untuk menjalankan penyiasatan ke atas pesawat yang terhempas dan mencari punca serta fakta-fakta yang berhubung kait dengan kemalangan tersebut serta membuat saranan-saranan yang perlu diambil agar kemalangan seumpama ini tidak berulang lagi.

Lembaga Penyiasatan ini juga dibantu oleh beberapa buah organisasi pakar penyiasatan pesawat dari luar negeri iaitu Pratt and Whitney Canada dan Bell Textron United States dan United States Army Combat Readiness Center – Air Accident Investigation Team.

Lembaga Penyiasatan telah mendapati fakta-fakta berikut:

a. Environment. Cuaca semasa kejadian adalah baik dan tidak menjejaskan operasi penerbangan.

b. Material. ‘Airworthiness’ pesawat tersebut adalah di tahap yang sepatutnya. Tiada bukti yang menjurus kepada pesawat menghadapi sebarang masalah teknikal sebelum pesawat terhempas. Perkara ini turut disahkan oleh 3 tim penyiasat luar negara yang berasingan.

Fakta punca kemalangan adalah seperti berikut:

a. Human Factor. Punca utama pesawat tersebut terhempas ialah atas kesilapan manusia (Human Error). Pesawat berkenaan terlibat dalam Controlled Flight into Terrain (CFIT) semasa membuat penerbangan unauthorised low level flying.

b. Procedure. Juruterbang telah melakukan penerbangan yang bertentangan dengan prosedur iaitu unauthorised low level flying.

Lembaga Penyiasatan secara gambaran terdekat mendapati bahawa sebelum kejadian, juruterbang telah melakukan unauthorised low level flying dengan kelajuan sekitar 60-80 knots di kawasan Wasai Wang Tebadak (LP KB 195A) dan seterusnya telah mengerengkan (banking) pesawat dengan anggaran 45 darjah untuk mengikuti laluan sungai. Pesawat telah tersasar dan terturun dari ketinggian asal disebabkan faktor g-force. Pesawat merempuh dahan-dahan kayu pokok pertama dan tidak melalui laluan yang dihasratkan setelah di dalam keadaan straight and level. Pada saat-saat akhir pesawat cuba untuk menaikkan ketinggian tetapi tidak berhasil dan terus merempuh dua pokok besar.

Beberapa saranan tegas telah diajukan dalam laporan awal pertama pada 6 Ogos 2012 dan beberapa tindakan khususnya dalam menguatkan lagi proses dan prosedur serta aspek keselamatan telah diambil. Laporan lengkap akan dihadapkan pada 16 September 2012, termasuk saranan-saranan bagi memastikan kejadian seperti ini tidak akan berulang lagi. Insya’Allah.

Dipetik dari - Ministry Of Defence

MinDef pledges transparency in chopper crash probe

The Commander of the RBAF, Major General Dato Paduka Seri
Hj Aminuddin Ihsan Pehin Orang Kaya Saiful Mulok Dato Seri Paduka Hj Abidin

Rabiatul Kamit
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

Pasukan khas ditubuh

Oleh Rafidah Jumat

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, 26 Julai- Satu pasukan penyiasat kemalangan pesawat dari Tentera Udara Diraja Brunei (TUDB) telah ditubuhkan untuk mengendalikan siasatan ke atas kemalangan yang menimpa pesawat tentera BELL212 di Ulu Belait pada Jumaat lalu yang mengorbankan 12 pegawai Angkatan Bersenjata Diraja Brunei dan dua cedera.

Kementerian Pertahanan dalam satu kenyataan di sini berkata, penyiasatan khusus ini dijalankan bagi menentukan punca nahas kejadian.

Penyiasat antarabangsa dari Amerika dan Kanada akan turut memberikan sokongan mereka dalam siasatan ini bersama pasukan penyiasat kemalangan pesawat TUDB.

Siasatan ke atas kemalangan itu telah pun bermula pada Sabtu lalu dan satu laporan awal telah dibuat oleh pasukan penyiasatan kemalangan pesawat yang kemudian dikemukakan kepada tahap tertinggi Lembaga Siasatan yang diketuai oleh Pemerintah Tentera Laut Diraja Brunei, Laksamana Pertama Dato Seri Pahlawan Haji Abdul Halim Haji Mohd Hanifah.

Dipetik dari - Media Permata Online

Nilai semula tahap 'kesihatan' pesawat Bell 212 yang masih dalam perkhidmatan

Tragedi nahas helikopter yang meragut 12 nyawa pada Jumaat lepas merupakan kejadian yang kedua melibatkan pesawat helikopter Bell 212 di Brunei pada tahun ini.

Digabungkan dengan insiden sebelum ini yang berlaku pada bulan Februari, sungguhpun tidak mengakibatkan korban jiwa, sewajarnya membawa kepada satu penilaian semula kepada tahap airworthiness armada Bell 212 yang sedia ada.

Sehingga kini sebarang penemuan terhadap punca kemalangan Februari lepas masih belum didedahkan oleh pihak berkuasa.

Semoga tiada lagi kejadian malang sementara TUDB menunggu penghantaran 12 pesawat S-70i Black Hawk yang bakal menggantikan armada Bell 212 yang sudah berumur tiga dekad ini.


Berita berkaitan,

Black Hawk choppers expected to arrive in 2014
http://rumpunsuara.blogspot.com/2012/07/black-hawk-choppers-expected-to-arrive.html


HELIKOPTER TUDB BELL 212 KEMALANGAN DI TEMBURONG

TEMBURONG, Rabu 29 Februari 2012 - Sebuah pesawat helikopter Bell 212 Tentera Udara Diraja Brunei telah mengalami kemalangan semasa mendarat di kawasan Bukit Belalong, Daerah Temburong, pada kira-kira jam 0946 pagi pada hari selasa, 28 Februari 2012.

Pesawat tersebut sedang melaksanakan tugas rutin apabila kemalangan berlaku. Semasa kemalangan itu, helikopter tersebut tidak membawa penumpang selain tiga orang anak buah pesawat, termasuk seorang Juruterbang.

Juruterbang dan seorang anak buah pesawat tidak mengalami kecederaan manakala seorang lagi mengalami kecederaan ringan yang tidak memerlukan rawatan lanjut.

Punca kemalangan masih dalam penyiasatan.

Dipetik dari - Ministry of Defence

NDP turut berdukacita atas kemalangan helikopter ABDB yang membabitkan nyawa

Jura, Limbaruh Hijau, 21 Julai 2012

Dalam keghairahan rakyat menyambut dan menantikan ketibaan bulan Ramadhan, Negara dikejutkan dengan satu berita tragedi menyayat hati yang melibatkan sebuah pesawat  helikopter Bell  212 Angkatan Bersenjata Diraja Brunei  telah jatuh terhempas di Ulu Belait. Kejadian yang berlaku semalam itu melibatkan empatbelas orang anggota ABDB yang mana menurut keterangan akhbar tempatan pagi ini sepuluh orang diantaranya meninggal dunia, dua orang mengalami kecederaan dan dua orang lagi masih belum ditemui.

Keberangkatan Kebawah DYMM Sultah dan Yang Di-Pertuan Negara Brunei Darussalam bersama anakda baginda Duli Yang Teramat Mulia Second Lieutenant Pengiran Muda ‘Abdul  Mateen ke Pengkalan Udara ABDB di Kg. Rimba dan seterusnya ke RIPAS tentunya atas rasa kasih dan kebertanggungjawaban seorang raja kepada rakyatnya apa tah lagi dalam suasana baginda dan rakyat baginda sedang meraikan Sambutan Ulang Tahun Ke-66 keputeraan baginda yang baru beberapa hari dilangsungkan.

NDP merakamkan ucapan takziah kepada keluarga-keluarga mangsa yang terlibat dalam nahas tersebut dan berdoa semoga roh mereka yang terkorban dirahmati oleh Allah SWT. Kepada mangsa yang cedera semoga mereka cepat sembuh dan dapat bersama menjalankan ibadah puasa

Dalam kejadian ini, tentunya pihak ABDB akan membentuk satu pasukan penyiasat bagi menyiasat punca kemalangan tersebut daripada berbagai sudut saperti penyelenggaraan, kemahiran, kebolehan, pemeriksaan serta pemasangan alat ganti selain melihat kepada keadaan dan usia helicopter itu  sendiri sama ada ia perlu diganti baru setelah sekian lama beroperasi.

Rekod terbaik tentera udara ABDB sejauh ini amat membanggakan kerana jarang terlibat dalam nahas dan kemalangan saperti ini, walau bagaimanapun kejadian semalam sepatutnya menjadi satu peringatan dan sewajarnya dijadikan iktibar supaya ianya tidak akan berulang lagi. Rakyat terutama keluarga mangsa, setentunya akan menunggu dan mahu mendengar hasil penyiasatan itu bagi mengetahui gambaran sebenar punca nahas berkenaan berlaku.

TAKZIAH KEPADA KELUARGA ABDB YANG TERBABIT DALAM KEMALANGAN

Presiden dan seluruh ahli Parti Pembangunan bangsa (NDP) turut berdukacita dan merakamkan ucapan takziah kepada keluarga anggota Angkatan Bersenjata Di-Raja Brunei yang terbabit dalam kemalangan helicopter di Rempayoh, Labi.

Semoga Allah mencucuri rahmat keatas roh mereka dan menepatkan roh mereka bersama roh-roh para Syuhada. Kepada ahli keluarga yang terlibat dalam nahas tersebut kami doakan agar mendapat ketenagan dan kesabaran serta semoga dapat menerima musibah ini dengan redha.

Kepada warga NDP yang beragama Islam, disarankan supaya melakukan sembahyang ghaib buat mereka yang terkorban.