Malaysia helps search for missing medevac helicopter

MANILA, Philippines — The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) is coordinating with Malaysian authorities in a search and rescue mission near the boundary of the two countries for a missing medevac helicopter.

CAAP spokesman Eric Apolonio yesterday said that Philippine Air Force helicopters along with Philippine Coast Guard and Navy vessels would conduct the mission near Balabac Strait, the border of the Philippines and Malaysia.

The medevac, an air ambulance operated by the Philippine Adventist Medical Aviation Services (PAMAS) has been missing since Wednesday last week.

Apolonio said the CAAP’s Philippine Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Center (PARCC) is working with the Palawan disaster risk reduction and management council and the PAMAS for an aerial search over Kota Kinabalu.

The PAMAS headquarters at Brooke’s Point in Palawan had searched the coastal waters but failed to spot any sign of the helicopter.

The Kota Kinabalu’s Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Center informed the PARCC that its coast guards conducted a search and rescue operation south of Pulau Banggi in Sabah on Sunday.

Malaysian authorities informed the Philippines that its police air-wing department and air force conducted a similar operation yesterday at the boundary of Pulau, Banggi and Balabac.

Philippine authorities believe the helicopter may have crossed the border during the accident, prompting them to tap Malaysia in the search and rescue mission.