Police Helicopter Crashes into River During Military Drill in Malaysia (Video)
Kuala Lumpur, 10 July – (www.deccanlive.com): A Malaysian police helicopter crashed into a river during an emergency landing on Wednesday morning in the Sungai Pulai area of Johor state.
The helicopter was part of a routine military training exercise named MITSATOM 2025. All five crew members were rescued safely.
What Happened?
According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM), the helicopter took off at 9:51 am from Tanjung Kupang Police Station, but due to a technical issue, it was forced to make an emergency landing — right into the river.
The Marine Police Force responded quickly and rescued all five crew members. They were taken to a jetty of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA), then shifted to Sultanah Aminah Hospital for treatment.
Thankfully, no lives were lost, but the incident is being treated as a serious aviation accident. The investigation will be conducted by the Air Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) under the Ministry of Transport, as per Malaysia’s Civil Aviation Regulation 2016.
Details About the Helicopter
The crashed helicopter was a 30-year-old Airbus AS355N, a light utility model made in France. It was delivered to the Malaysian police in 1996.
In November 2023, tenders were already invited to replace such old helicopters. This accident has raised concerns about whether old aircraft should still be in service and how such incidents can be prevented in future.
Similar Case in the U.S.
In April 2025, a helicopter in New York, USA, crashed into the Hudson River, killing all 6 people on board. The victims included Siemens CEO Augustin Escobar, his wife, and three children aged 4, 5, and 11.
Just before the crash, the helicopter broke into two parts, with its tail and rotor blade detaching from the body.
Emergency crews pulled the victims from the river, but sadly, all died—four on the spot and two in the hospital.
