Sudden tragedy possibly the cause of absent 'Mayday' signal - Expert

SHAH ALAM - The absence of any emergency signals sent by the pilot before the aircraft crashed in the Elmina incident suggests that the tragedy occurred suddenly, according to aviation expert Captain (B) Abdul Rahmat Omar Tun Mohd Haniff.

He stated that it's challenging to analyse the actual cause of the incident due to the limited information currently available.

"The actual cause of the accident cannot be determined at the moment because the details of the accident are still very limited.

"However, the lack of an emergency call before the plane crashed indicates that the accident happened abruptly."

"At present, we still cannot ascertain the reason for the incident," he told Sinar today

He emphasized that maintenance factors play a crucial role in aircraft operations to prevent any undesirable incidents.

In this regard, he believes that the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) will consider the maintenance records of the aircraft.

"Factors taken into consideration include weather, air traffic congestion towards the destination, and the amount of fuel carried.

"Additionally, the reachable distance of the airport by the aircraft is also taken into account in case of emergencies during the journey."

"Another aspect that will be focused on is whether there are any elements of human error," he added.

He also explained that the aircraft maintenance period depends on the type of maintenance recommended by the aircraft manufacturer.

"There are several types of maintenance that need to be performed according to a schedule," he said.

At least ten victims have been confirmed to have perished in the light jet aircraft crash.

The victims include eight passengers and crew members, along with two civilians, a motorcyclist, and a car driver who happened to be at the crash site.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) confirmed that no emergency calls or 'Mayday' signals were received.

The aircraft in question took off from Langkawi International Airport at 2.08 p.m and was cleared to land at Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport, but it crashed two minutes before landing.

Transport Minister Anthony Loke reportedly mentioned that based on preliminary observations, the aircraft appeared to have veered to the right of the landing path.