SEREMBAN, Sept 9 — A video call lasting more than an hour with his mother on the night before the incident turned out to be the final moment for the family of pilot Captain Zainol Afiq Bee Sham, 31, who was involved in a helicopter crash in Sarawak yesterday.
His father, Bee Sham Ahmad, 59, said his fourth child of 12 siblings had a lengthy video call with his mother, Zaiton Muda, 59, on the night before the crash.
“He always called us, but the night before yesterday, he had a video call with his mother for more than an hour and a half, from 10 pm until after 11 pm… little did we know that it would be his last call.
“We only learned the sad news from my eighth child, who informed us that his brother had been involved in the crash yesterday afternoon,” he said when contacted by Bernama today.
Bee Sham said the last time they met was during the recent Negeri Sembilan State Election, when his son took a week’s leave to return to Senawang to vote before returning to Miri to resume his duties.
Meanwhile, he said the family was on their way to Miri, Sarawak, to undergo deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) testing and related identification procedures, as well as to obtain further updates on the incident.
“We were informed that all the victims are still at the crash site as it is located deep in the interior. We are still waiting for further information on arrangements to bring the remains home and, if permitted, we intend to bury him at the Forest Heights Senawang Muslim Cemetery,” he said.
Zainol Afiq leaves behind a wife and two children, aged six years and 10 months.
Yesterday, a BO-105 helicopter carrying five people, including the pilot, was reported to have crashed and caught fire near the Long Lellang Short Take-Off and Landing Airport (STOLport) in Ulu Baram.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM), in a statement yesterday, confirmed the incident and said it received notification of the crash from the Flight Information Service at 3.58 pm.
Apart from Zainol Afiq, the four other victims were identified as Dr Ainul Baraah Kamaruddin, assistant medical officer Alexson Adit, and two nurses, Debra Moset and Jessie Paya. — Bernama
Date: 9 September, 2026 12:43 pm
Source: Malay Mail
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