21 APMM divers involved in phase two search for helicopter black box

KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 21 divers from the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (APMM) are involved in the second phase of the search for the black box of the agency's AW139 helicopter that made an emergency landing on Angsa Island on March 5.

APMM Director-General Maritime Admiral Datuk Hamid Mohd Amin said this time, the search focused on the range of the location of the black box between 50 to 100 metres radius based on the signal from the pinger.

He said based on information obtained from the National Hydrographic Centre (PHN) of the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN), the black box is believed to be around 700 to 800 meters from the helicopter's emergency landing area.

"According to the report received, the divers are having difficulty finding the black box due to the strong currents on the seabed in addition to the limited visibility in the water due to the muddy seabed.

"However, the APMM is positive that the black box will be found soon," he said in a statement today.

According to Hamid, in addition to APMM's divers, the search mission also involved the PHN sonar crew, the Air Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) and the APMM's aircraft service provider, Galaxy (M) Sdn Bhd.

"The first phase of the search for the plane's black box was carried out last March 6 to 24, with the focus location being around a kilometre radius in the area where the helicopter involved made the emergency landing," he said.

-- BERNAMA