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".