Helicopter tragedy: Remains of Joanna Felicia to be laid to rest today

SERIAN (Sarawak): The body of Able Seaman I Joanna Felicia Rohna, 26, who perished in the mid-air collision and crash of two Royal Malaysian Navy (TLDM) helicopters in Lumut on Tuesday, was buried in Kampung Engkeroh Tebakang near here at 9.00 am today.

The burial rites, carried out according to TLDM tradition, took place at the Kampung Engkaroh Tebakang Christian cemetery.

Earlier, the Royal Malaysian Air Force (TUDM) C-130 aircraft carrying Joanna's remains arrived at the Kuching air base from Ipoh, Perak, at 11.54 pm yesterday.

The body was then brought to Kampung Engkaroh Tebakang and arrived at the village at about 2.08 am today.

A sombre atmosphere enveloped the late Joanna's family home in the village, where family members had gathered as early as 5 pm yesterday to wait for the arrival of the body and pay their final respects.

"Never did I expect that this meeting would be our last. She had promised to meet us upon her return for the Gawai celebration...but who would have thought the meeting would end up like this," said one of her closest relatives, Richard Jiubat Bluka, 26.

The crash involving a Maritime Operations Helicopter (HOM-AW139) and a Fennec (M502-6) aircraft at 9.32 am during fly-past training in conjunction with TLDM's 90th anniversary, scheduled early next month, killed 10 TLDM officers and personnel, including Joanna.

-- BERNAMA

Read the latest news here