KUALA LUMPUR - The US Embassy in Kuala Lumpur has paid tribute to the pilot and four Health Ministry (MOH) personnel who perished in the Flying Doctor Service (FDS) helicopter crash in Sarawak on Tuesday, describing them as heroes on a mission to bring healthcare to remote communities.
In a Facebook post, the embassy expressed its condolences and said it mourned the terrible loss and honoured the lives of those who gave their time, their skills and ultimately their lives in service to others.
"Heroes run toward those in need. Yesterday, five Malaysians representing the Flying Doctor Service (FDS) were on their way to do exactly that: bringing medical care to communities far from cities or the nearest hospitals.
"Their mission was one of service, compassion, and duty to their fellow citizens,” it said.
The pilot and four MOH personnel were confirmed dead after the FDS helicopter they were travelling in crashed near the Long Lellang Short Take-Off and Landing Airport (STOLport).
The four health personnel, who were on official duty, comprised a medical officer, an assistant medical officer and two nurses.
The FDS team involved in the BO-105 helicopter crash was one of the active teams providing healthcare services to residents in remote areas of Sarawak. - BERNAMA