KUALA LUMPUR: The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) conducted a mercy flight to transport a three-year-old boy suffering from an autoimmune disease for emergency treatment in Terengganu after floods rendered land routes impassable.
The RMAF said it deployed its EC725AP helicopter as part of the armed forces' Op Murni to transport the boy, who suffers from Ocular Myasthenia Gravis.
"The patient, Muhammad Uwais Zainudin, who was receiving treatment at Setiu Hospital, was airlifted from the football field of Sekolah Menengah Sains Setiu at 4.48am to Sultan Mahmud Airport in Kuala Terengganu. Upon arrival at Sultan Mahmud Airport at 5.00am, Uwais was immediately transported by ambulance to HSNZ for further treatment," the RMAF said on Facebook.
The RMAF said that the helicopter was deployed from the No. 10 Squadron Detachment at Gong Kedak Air Base for the mission. The flight was conducted by aircraft commander Major Mohd Fazruzaman Md Faril, assisted by co-pilot Captain Mohammad Ayub Mohmad, together with Air Quartermaster Flight Sergeant Muammar Ghadaffi Abu Hamid as part of the crew.
"Accompanying the mission were medical officer Dr Siti Norliyana Aimuni Mustafa and medical assistant Nor Azlan Mohd Nawi, who worked to stabilise and monitor the patient throughout the flight."
The floods in several states have worsened, with Pahang becoming the latest to be affected by the disaster. The number of flood evacuees housed in temporary relief centres nationwide has risen to 152,377 this morning, up from 146,611 last night.