Al-Fatihah

The news item by Bernama is the final closure for the missing RMAF pilot. A sad day for his family, friends and all Malaysians. Like the last Hawk crash, it took a lucky break for the remains of the pilot to be found. If not for the work of (probably illegal) a fisherman looking for his catch of the day, the pilot might never be found. Its time for Mindef to search for a system to enable us to look for down planes under the sea. It is sorely needed as our nation is surrounded by the seas and our fliers tend to go “feet wet” almost all the time.
By the way, how low was the Hawk flying that day that even the radar could not track its last moments? Just above sea level?

From Bernama

Body Of Missing RMAF Pilot Found
KUANTAN, June 27 (Bernama) — The body of Mej Mohammad Rohaizan Ab Rahman, the pilot of the Hawk 208 fighter aircraft that crashed on May 31, was found in the wreckage at 4.20pm Tuesday.The Royal Malaysian Air Force’s (RMAF) public relations officer Kept Zulkiflee Abdul Latiff said in a statement that the body was in the cockpit.He said the search operation that entered its 28th day today found the wreckage with the body three kilometres from Pantai Lanjut shore in Rompin.Mej Mohammad Rohaizan’s body will be taken to his hometown Kampung Kuala Sungai Baru in Melaka after a post-mortem. He will be accorded a funeral with full military honours.The statement said following the discovery of the pilot’s remains, search for the remaining fragments of the aircraft would be halted when the Special Naval Unit (Paskau) was satisfied that no more fragments could be recovered.The aircraft lost contact with the control tower in Kuantan while flying over Rompin waters. Efforts to locate the pilot and aircraft proved futile until last Sunday when fishermen found metal pieces and aircraft parts at Pantai Lanjut, that provided clues to the location of the wreckage.Meanwhile in ROMPIN, the search team retrieved the body from the cockpit at 5.05pm and brought it to shore in Pantai Lanjut.It was then airlifted to the Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital in Kuantan at about 5.20pm.Five fishing boats, two Royal Malaysian Navy boats and a Fire and Rescue Services Department boat were involved in the efforts to retrieve the body.Members of the press and villagers turned out in full force to watch the operations at Pantai Lanjut.– BERNAMA