SEPANG: An Airbus A320 airliner carrying approximately 139 passengers suffered an electrical 'failure' and 'crashed' near Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), prompting a coordinated multi-agency search and rescue mission.
This was the scenario played out during today's biennial Exercise Perisai Panthera. The full-scale drill was held at various airports nationwide to ensure compliance with international and national regulations, including the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) Civil Aviation Directive and International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Standard and Recommended Practices.
The exercise involved over 800 personnel from 14 government and private agencies, including the police, Airport Fire and Rescue Service, Fire and Rescue Department, Health Ministry, Information Department, Air Accident Investigation Bureau and the Civil Defence Force.
Malaysia Airports Bhd senior general manager Mohd Arif Jaafar said the drill helps the participating agencies to refine their coordination, capabilities, and efficiency according to the prepared plan.
"The goal is for participating agencies to experience and showcase their skills, response times, and the ability to collaborate with other agencies while saving lives and property," he said after the drill.
Arif said this year's drill scenario featured an air disaster outside the airport grounds and involved diver units.
"We have various scenarios for the airport emergency plan, one is on-airport, and the other is off-airport.
"Today, we conducted an off-airport scenario using the balancing pond at the end of Runway 14 to evaluate the effectiveness of the rescue teams, including scuba divers, rescue boat usage and the underwater retrieval of the victims and the aircraft's black box," he said.
Arif said today's drill also featured the first-time use of Malaysia Airport Bhd's in-house QR code system to identify and assist casualties of disasters.
"Previously, registering each victim depended on the aircraft's size. To speed up registration, we developed a QR code system dubbed the Aerodrome Emergency Centralised Reporting.
"This system helps the medical team to identify passengers and victims by scanning an issued QR code where the information can then be sent directly to the respective agency operation rooms," he said.
Airports in Malaysia are designated as restricted areas, with some, such as KLIA, classified as National Vital Installation Priority 1.
This classification denotes the highest level of threat and impact on national security and government functions if these facilities were compromised.
Given this critical designation, the Aerodrome Emergency Plan (AEP) outlines comprehensive procedures and protocols for managing emergencies effectively, ensuring swift, coordinated and efficient responses.
By adhering to the AEP, Malaysia Airports Bhd mitigates risks associated with the high-security status of its airports, protecting national interests and ensuring operational continuity during crises.
The plan is crucial for maintaining the safety and security of passengers and the broader community, reinforcing the airport operator's role as the custodian of essential national infrastructure.