Health ministry temporarily grounds Flying Doctor Service in Sarawak
Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad says the decision to ground the service was to allow the investigation into the fatal helicopter crash that claimed five lives including four healthcare workers.
The Flying Doctor Service (FDS) in Sarawak has been temporarily grounded following a tragic helicopter crash that claimed five lives, including four healthcare workers. Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad announced the decision to ground the service in order to investigate the incident and inspect safety mechanisms. The BO-105 helicopter, operated by Layang Layang Aerospace, crashed near the Long Lellang STOLport on Tuesday, killing a medical officer, a medical assistant, and two nurses.
Despite the grounding, Dzulkefly emphasized that the FDS remains essential for providing healthcare coverage to communities in Sarawak's interior regions. Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia CEO Norazman Mahmud stated that the grounding is a precautionary measure, not indicative of an engine or technical defect. The health minister's office plans to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the FDS in Sarawak, covering contract matters, safety operations, and governance to ensure safer and more resilient services for rural communities.
They will also review alternative transportation methods, potentially involving the armed forces, for emergency patient transport.
Written by urgent.news from Free Malaysia Today's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
Also reported by 4 other outlets
- Health ministry temporarily grounds Flying Doctor Service in Sarawak freemalaysiatoday.com
- Helicopter crash: All FDS operations in Sarawak temporarily suspended - Minister thevibes.com
- Sarawak Flying Doctor Service operations suspended after fatal helicopter crash, says health minister malaymail.com
- Sarawak Air Doctor Service suspended after helicopter crash nst.com.my
