12 killed in Brunei helicopter crash: Air Force spokesman

Jul 21, 2012 |

Agencies

Kuala Lumpur

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Twelve military personnel including six cadets were killed in a Brunei air force helicopter crash while flying home after jungle training, a spokesman said on Saturday.

The crash occurred on Friday in Kuala Belait in the oil-rich sultanate on the island of Borneo.

Brunei's defence ministry says the Bell 212 helicopter crashed in the rural district of Ulu Belait late on Friday while heading to Bandar Seri Begawan, the capital of Brunei, a sultanate on Borneo island.

A ministry statement says that in addition to the 12 people who were killed, two were injured and two were missing.

"We have 12 fatalities in the helicopter crash. Two military cadets survived the crash," Brunei air force spokesman Norudin Salleh told agencies. The ministry did not immediately provide any cause for the crash.

Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah visited two young armed forces cadets who survived the crash and expressed 'great sadness'.

Brunei's Borneo Bulletin newspaper called it 'a national tragedy' that struck a day before the country's Muslim majority marked the start of the fasting month of Ramadan.

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