'I’m about to leave' wife recollects husband's parting words before double six tragedy
13 Apr 2023 09:13pm
Datin Jikilin Majitan showing a ring and watch belonging to her late husband Datuk Darius Binion
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Recalling what occurred almost 47 years ago, Jikilin, 88, said Darius, who was Assistant Minister to the Deputy Chief Minister, uttered those words to her before leaving their home to carry out his duty in Labuan.
Their two children were just six and 11 when their father died in the plane crash, Jikilin shared when met at her residence here today after she received the final official investigation report on the Sabah Air crash, that was presented by Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister Datuk Ewon Benedick.
She thanked the government for the report and showed off a watch, two rings and a pen cover belonging to Darius that she has kept with her since the tragedy.
One ring that Darius wore, along with the pen cover, had been restored as they were bent when they were handed over to her a week after the crash.
The Australian-made Nomad 9M-ATZ Sabah Air aircraft carrying a group of dignitaries from Labuan had crashed in the Sembulan district while making its approach to Kota Kinabalu International Airport.
The 21-page investigation report, which was declassified and issued yesterday, stated that there was no evidence showing any element of sabotage, fire or explosion in the incident.
It also concluded that the crash possibly was caused by the aircraft’s centre of gravity being beyond the limit of the aft limit, resulting in the control column not being able to move forward, while the nose of the aircraft pitched upwards when the wing flaps exceeded 25 degrees while on landing approach. -Bernama
