Five people were killed when a Flying Doctor Service (FDS) helicopter crashed near the Long Lellang STOLport in Sarawak’s Marudi district on Tuesday afternoon. The aircraft, a BO-105 registered as 9M-LLF, went down near the airstrip shortly after departing from Miri, authorities confirmed.

Onboard the helicopter were the pilot, a medical officer, an assistant medical officer, and two nurses, all of whom died in the crash. The incident occurred around 3:58 p.m., according to initial notification received by the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM). A video circulating online appears to show the helicopter’s engine catching fire moments before it crashed.

Long Lellang STOLport, located approximately 310 kilometers from Miri, serves the rural communities in the area, including the Kelabit and Penan indigenous groups. The STOLport is adjacent to Long Lellang village and operates as a crucial link for medical and other essential services in this remote region.

Sarawak police commissioner Comm Datuk Mohamad Zainal Abdullah confirmed that search and rescue teams were dispatched to the remote crash site, which is roughly a 10-hour drive from Marudi. However, helicopter air services have been suspended due to hazy weather conditions, and the CAAM has not authorized any helicopter flights from the Kuching police air base to support rescue operations.

As a result, the ongoing search efforts have relied on assistance from local villagers, members of the Rela volunteer corps, and auxiliary police stationed at the Long Lellang STOLport. Authorities also noted that the helicopter was operated by a private company contracted to provide Flying Doctor Service missions to Long Lellang as well as nearby communities such as Ba Lai and Long Siut.

The Ministry of Transport’s Air Accident Investigation Bureau will be leading a formal inquiry into the cause of the crash. Further details are expected pending the conclusion of the investigation.