PUTRAJAYA: The final report of the investigation into the Sabah Air plane crash that killed the then Chief Minister Tun Fuad Stephens has been classified as an open document and can be accessed on the Transport Ministry’s website from Wednesday. Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the report had been declassified in accordance with Section 2C of the Official Secrets Act 1972.
He said the process to declassify the report was completed on April 6 after Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced the declassification of the report on the tragedy, also known as “Double Six”, on April 5.
“As of today, the full report can be downloaded from the Transport Ministry’s official website at https://www.mot.gov.my /en/aviation/reports/n22b-nomad,” he said.
He said the final report of the investigation into the Nomad N22B 9M-ATZ air crash was completed on Jan 25, 1977 and presented to the Cabinet in March 1977.
“However, the results of the report were never made public. As such, for nearly 47 years, the family members of the victims never knew the facts and reasons behind the crash,” he said.
Loke said every aviation incident must be transparently and comprehensively investigated to instil international trust in Malaysia’s ability to build an aviation industry that is credible and meets the highest standards.
“The Transport Ministry is committed to continuing this principle of transparency,” said Loke, who also expressed his condolences to all the families and next-of-kin of the victims who died in the Double Six tragedy.
The investigation was completed some four months later, but the full report was not made public. Instead, it was classified under the OSA.
The Daily Express’ award winning team of journalists presents ‘Double Six: The Untold Stories’, a documentary on the plane crash in Sabah (East Malaysia) killing the newly-elected Chief Minister of Sabah Tun Mohd Fuad Stephens, four state ministers and six others on June 6th, 1976. After 46 years the findings of the crash also known to many as The Double Six Tragedy have not been disclosed. Note: This series unravels information not previously available to the public, but does not in any way attribute blame for the crash on any party.
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