No evidence yet helicopter exploded mid-air - Liow

There has been no confirmation yet of a mid-air explosion involving the ill-fated helicopter that crashed in Semenyih yesterday, as had been reported by some media, said Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai.

Liow said the initial investigation was still ongoing, and until it had been completed, rumours about the explosion would be considered as just that.

"There has been no other information (about an explosion), comprhensive investigations are being carried out," he told reporters when met outside the house of Rompin Member of Parliament Tan Sri Dr Jamaluddin Jarjis at The Mines, Seri Kembangan today.

Jamaluddin along with five others were killed in the crash. Jamaluddin, who was also the chairman of Perbadanan PR1MA Malaysia (PR1MA), and Datuk Azlin Alias, the principal private secretary of the prime minister, and four other people were flying back from Pekan, Pahang to Subang, Selangor, when the AS3655N2 Dauphin (9M-1GB) helicopter went down in a rubber smallholding in Semenyih.

The four others have been identified as pilot Capt Clifford William Fournier; operations assistant Aidana Baizieva; Jamaluddin's bodyguard Razakan Seran and businessman Datuk Tan Huat Seang.

On another note, Liow said the 'black box' would provide vital clues as to what had actually happened to the ill-fated helicopter.

He said, a tripartite investigation, involving the Transportation Ministry, Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) and the Royal Malaysia Police had already commenced since yesterday, including the process of producing an initial report of the tragedy.

Earlier today, Selangor police chief Datuk Abdul Samah Mat was quoted as saying that the black box of the helicopter was found at 11.15 am today.