‘RMAF radar has full recording of Hawk 108 crash’

KEMAMAN: The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) radar detector has the full recording of the Hawk 108 jet fighter crash right up to its last seconds, RMAF chief Datuk Seri Affendi Buang said.

He said the radar detector was in use during the flight last Thursday before tragedy struck.

“RMAF has obtained initial evidence from the radar detector, but it is too early for us to make any conclusions on what had (really) happened.

“Apart from that, RMAF has also found both ejection seats of the jet fighter as well as the main wreckage, which did not sink into the swamp,” he said at a press conference after inspecting the crash site in Kampung Yak Yah in Kemaman, Terengganu, here.

Affendi said after recovering the aircraft components, RMAF had succeeded on making a rough sketch to determine the actual situation of the jet at the swamp.

He said to ensure the investigation was conducted systematically and professionally, RMAF had called the Science and Technology Research Institute For Defence (STRIDE) and the Hawk jet fighter manufacturer to determine the cause of the crash.

Asked if the aircraft had undergone inspections prior to the operation, he said the aircraft had just completed its routine maintenance check at the 500hour interval according to schedule.

“After completing 500 hours of flying, the aircraft enters minor servicing in which it undergoes a functional check flight by a qualified pilot,” he said.

Affendi said the jet fighter had also made its first flight on Tuesday (June 13), and the RMAF found that the aircraft had experienced a slight hitch, which was duly repaired.

The aircraft was flown again on Wednesday (June 14).

“In the flight on Wednesday, the aircraft was declared well inspected and met the technical flight aspects,” he said.

On the operation status of the remaining Hawk 108 and 208, Affendi said for the time being, RMAF had suspended the service of both types of jet fighters until the case was resolved.

On the challenge to extract the Hawk 108 wreckage, Affendi said RMAF was facing difficulties as the main wreckage had sunk into the swamp.

“The swamp has a high water table, so when we use machinery to extricate it, water will fill the hole of the crash site in which the wreckage is found.

“The Royal Engineer Regiment will build a track with timber logs to bring in an excavator to retrieve the wreckage today,” he said.

In the crash on Thursday, two pilots, Major Hasri Zahari, 31, and Major Yazmi Mohamed Yusof, 39, were killed.

The aircraft left Kuantan Airbase at 11am on that day and lost communication about 30 minutes later, before the bodies were found at 2.30pm in the swamp. Bernama