Gelang patah: The Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) AS355N helicopter, with registration number 9M-PHG, is being honored for its significant contributions to crucial and humanitarian missions following its recent crash in Gelang Patah.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the helicopter crashed in Sungai Pulai during a nuclear detection training exercise last Thursday. The incident has prompted many to reflect on the aircraft’s role in various operations, including those who have flown in it or witnessed its services firsthand.
Police Air Operation Force (PGU) Commander Datuk Noor Sham Md Jani emphasized the helicopter’s vital involvement during the 2013 Lahad Datu intrusion by Sulu militants in Kampung Tanduo, Sabah. Noor Sham, with nearly 7,000 flight hours on the AS355N, recounted using 9M-PHG to evacuate injured General Operations Force (PGA) personnel to hospitals in Sandakan and Lahad Datu amid the armed standoff.
From the outset of the incident, three AS355N helicopters, including 9M-PHG, were stationed in Lahad Datu for almost three weeks until Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) aircraft took over. The helicopter was involved in an accident at 10:15 am on Thursday during the Multilateral Nuclear Security Detection Exercise (MITSATOM) 2025 at the Gelang Patah Maritime Jetty. This exercise included participation from Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and Singapore.
As reported by the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM), the helicopter departed from the Tanjung Kupang police station at 9:51 am with five individuals on board, among them the pilot. Noor Sham noted that 9M-PHG had recently taken part in the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition 2025 (LIMA ’25). It was frequently deployed for humanitarian missions, disaster relief, flood evacuations, and surveillance of traffic and crime.
Additionally, the helicopter supported major national operations, such as providing aerial surveillance during the state visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping in April and enforcing the COVID-19 Movement Control Order (MCO). Its compact size proved advantageous for command-and-control tasks and initial reconnaissance, allowing it to maneuver in tight areas before larger aircraft, like the AW139, were deployed if necessary.
In Johor, the 9M-PHG was instrumental in airlifting three pregnant women, aged 22 to 33, from flood-isolated Orang Asli villages in Kahang, Kluang, to the hospital. PDRM currently operates five AS355N helicopters, with two based in Sabah, one in Sarawak, and two in Peninsular Malaysia, including the ill-fated 9M-PHG.