Sarawak helicopter crash: SAR mission officially ends

The SAR mission of the Sebuyau helicopter crash in Sarawak involving multiple agencies last Thursday has officially ended at 4pm today.

Sarawak police commissioner, Datuk Seri Muhammad Sabtu Osman said the SAR concluded after the remains of the final victim, Filipino pilot Captain Rudolf Rex Ragas, were recovered and identified.

"Ragas' remains have been verified. Subsequently, we have also contacted the Philippine Embassy and this morning, his ashes were handed over to his nephew," Muhammad Sabtu told a press conference at the Sarawak Police headquarters here this morning.

He said the Transport Ministry has been tasked to collect the debris of the ill-fated helicopter with the assistance from the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN). The other agencies involved in the SAR would leave the search site in phases.

Muhammad Sabtu also assured that the police would assist in the security aspects of the SAR.

Ragas was piloting the Eurocopter AS350 helicopter when it crashed last Thursday en route from Betong to Kuching.

All six people on board were killed.

They were Plantations Industries and Commodities Deputy Minister Datuk Noriah Kasnon, her secretary-general Datuk Dr Sundaran Annamalai, Noriah's husband Asmuni Abdullah, Noriah's bodyguard Ahmad Sobri Haron, and Kuala Kangsar MP Datuk Wan Mohammad Khai-ril Wan Ahmad.

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