Malaysia 'copter crash kills 6

Malaysia 'copter crash kills 6

KUALA LUMPUR — An aide to Prime Minister Najib Razak and a former Malaysian ambassador to the United States were reported to be among the six people killed in a helicopter crash outside Kuala Lumpur on Saturday.

Rescuers had recovered all six burned bodies at the crash site in Seminyih town in Selangor state just outside Kuala Lumpur, local news reports said.

The victims were believed to have been returning from the wedding reception for Prime Minister Najib's daughter in the town of Pekan near Kuantan, the capital of the northeastern state of Pahang.

The Department of Civil Aviation said preliminary information showed that the helicopter crashed into a rubber plantation and burst into flames.

An eyewitness told the Bernama news agency that the helicopter "exploded in midair" during heavy rain.

"Then, the debris, tail and blades were thrown all over the place," the eyewitness, who was not named, was quoted as saying.

The Star English-language newspaper reported in its online edition that MP Jamaluddin Jarjis, a former ambassador to Washington, was among those on board.

The report said that Azlim Alias, a senior aide to the prime minister, was also on the flight.

Rescuers were still searching the crash site and no further information was immediately available.

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