KUALA LUMPUR: The beneficiaries of both officers involved in the Hawk 108 fighter jet crash will be taken care of, including receiving assistance through the National Defence Fund (TAPPN).

Senior Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said the assistance from the trust fund will be arranged by the ministry's human resource management division.

He said beneficiaries are entitled to assistance if the personnel was confirmed by the department head to have been injured or killed while on active duty and the injury or death was not the result of negligence or misconduct on the part of the personnel.

"I have also instructed the Chief of Defence Force (Gen Tan Sri Affendi Buang) and Chief of Air Force (Gen Tan Sri Ackbal Abdul Samad) to establish a special investigation board to identify the cause of the accident in detail and to brief me and the public periodically.

"A full investigation, taking into consideration operation and training factors, as well as technical issues will be conducted as soon as possible," he said in a statement today.

He added that Deputy Chief of Air Force Lt Gen Datuk Mohd Asghar Khan Goriman Khan had visited the incident location and would visit the injured officer at Seberang Jaya Hospital, Penang.

"Alhamdulillah, I was informed that Major Mohd Fareez Omar is in stable condition," he said.

He also voiced his surprise and disappointment over the accident involving the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) Hawk 108 fighter jet during its night flying training at runway 36 of the RMAF Butterworth Air Base, in Butterworth, Penang yesterday.

"The saddest part of this accident is the death of Capt Mohamad Affendi Bustamy, a pilot of 6 Squadron of the Labuan Air Base, who grew up in Bandar Tun Razak, Pahang, and the injuries sustained by Mohd Fareez, flight chief of 15 Squadron, from Dengkil, Selangor," he added.

He also said that Mohamad Affendi would be interred at the Islamic cemetary in Muadzam Shah, Pahang with the funeral arrangements being conducted by RMAF Butterworth Air Base and RMAF Kuantan Air Base.

"Once again, I would like to convey my deepest sympathies to the families of Mohamad Affendi and Mohd Fareez.

"To all Malaysians, let us pray that Mohamad Affendi's soul is showed with the grace of Allah SWT and that both officers' families will be strong in facing such a difficult challenge. Insya-Allah," he said.

-- BERNAMA