A Royal Malaysian Airforce Plane Has Gone Missing. Here’s What We Know So Far
A SAR mission has been launched.
By Sadho Ram — 15 Jun 2017, 01:52 PM
Pilots of the missing RMAF plane found dead
The two pilots of the Hawk 108 aircraft, a Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) jet, that went missing north of Kuantan near the Pahang-Terengganu border have been found dead.
Their bodies were found in a swamp near Chukai, Terengganu around 2:30pm.
Major Hasri Zahari, aged 31, and Major Yazmin Mohamed Yusof, aged 39, were found with their parachutes strapped. Their bodies are being brought to the Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital in Kuantan for a post mortem.
RMAF chief General Affendi Buang said this is the fifth accident involving the Hawk 108.
The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) has lost contact with its Hawk 108 aircraft, a training fighter jet, after it took off from the Kuantan air force base at 11am today, 15 June
According to reports, RMAF lost contact with the Hawk 108 about half an hour later.
The Hawk 108 was flying over the Terengganu and Pahang borders, north of Kuantan when it went missing, RMAF said
Royal Malaysian Air Force says a Hawk 108 fighter jet is feared missing around north Kuantan after losing contact at 11.30am pic.twitter.com/gWCBKJlwgL
— Amy Chew (@AmyChewCNA) June 15, 2017
A search and rescue (SAR) mission has been initiated
"RMAF has initiated a search and rescue operation," the statement said.
About the aircraft
The Hawk 108 is fitted with a BAE Sky Guardian Radar warning receiver.
A predecessor to the Hawk 208 fighter jet, the Hawk 108 aircraft has a redesigned wing and hands-on-throttle-and-stick.
The RMAF has six two-seat Hawk 108s which it uses as training aircraft.