10 die in Malaysia plane crash

10 die in Malaysia plane crash

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuter): A chartered Dornier 228-212 plane
crashed in the jungles of Malaysia's Borneo state of Sarawak,
killing all 10 people on board, the national Bernama news agency
said yesterday quoting officials.

The Royal Brunei Airlines flight BI238, crashed Saturday night
at Lambir Hill, 50 kilometers from the oil town of Miri, it said
quoting a Department of Civil Aviation official.

The plane was carrying eight passengers and two Malaysian
pilots. The passengers included four Malaysians, two Japanese,
one Singaporean and one Sri Lankan, Bernama reported.

Bernama said quoting a statement from Royal Brunei Airlines
that the Dornier left the Brunei International Airport at Bandar
Seri Begawan at 7:15 p.m. (6:15 p.m. Jakarta time) and was
reported missing at 7:43 p.m. Saturday night.

The plane belonged to a Miri-based aircraft company, Merpati
Intan Sdn Bhd, and Royal Brunei Airlines was the sales agent for
the chartered flight. The flight BI238 was going to Miri.

Bernama reported a huge search and rescue operation was
mounted by emergency teams from the Royal Brunei Armed Forces,
which dispatched a helicopter with winching facility, and the
Malaysian government.

Civilian helicopters were also deployed. A civil aviation
official told Bernama in Miri that the wreckage of the 19-seater
German-made plane was spotted at 7:10 a.m. (6:10 a.m. Jakarta
time) yesterday.

The aviation official told Bernama the aircraft was due to
land at Miri airport at 7:38 p.m Saturday.

The official said the weather in Miri was fine Saturday night
and that the plane was "quite new".