BUKIT MERTAJAM: Police have opened a sudden death report (SDR) into the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) Hawk 108 aircraft crash at the Butterworth air base on Tuesday night.
State police chief Datuk Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain said they would only look into the SDR, while other aspects of the investigations would be handled by the armed forces.
"We will investigate the incident and open a SDR report.
"As for the other aspects, we will leave it to the armed forces," he said when met after the launch of the Seberang Prai Tengah district police headquarters here this morning.
Present to launch the building was Bukit Aman Crime Prevention and Community Safety Department director Datuk Ramli Din.
On Tuesday, a RMAF Hawk 108 aircraft crash in the Butterworth air base.
The incident claimed the life of RMAF pilot, Captain Mohamad Affendi Bustamy, while another pilot, Major Mohd Fareez Omar, was injured.
Fareez is being treated at the Seberang Jaya Hospital.
The RMAF, in a statement late Tuesday night, confirmed the crash on the runway of the Butterworth air base at 10.07pm.
It said both Affendi and Fareez were undergoing night flying at runway 36 at the Buterworth airbase when the incident occurred.
The Defence Ministry has ordered the armed forces and the air force to set up a special investigation board to determine the cause of the RMAF Hawk 108 aircraft crash.
In a media statement released later, Mohd Shuhaily said police were alerted to the BAE Hawk 108 crash, involving two victims, about 11.35pm on Tuesday.
He said at 4.39am yesterday, a police report was lodged by the Butterworth RMAF.
"Initial probes revealed the aircraft was piloted by two pilots, who had taken off from the Butterworth air base, for night training. The session lasted for an hour.
"At 10.07pm, the aircraft reportedly crashed inside the Butterworth air base which resulted in an explosion.
"Both the pilots managed to run out from the aircraft using the ejection seat. One of them however died at the scene while another sustained injuries and is being treated at the Seberang Jaya Hospital," he said.
Mohd Shuhaily said a post-mortem conducted on Affendi showed he died as a result of "multiple injuries consistent with an air crash".
Mohd Shuhaily said police have yet to record a statement from the surviving pilot as he is still being treated.
As for the deceased, he was buried at the Muadzam Shah Muslim cemetery in Pahang about 8.30pm yesterday.
"We have classified the case as SDR. Further investigations into the incident are ongoing," he added.