SHAH ALAM, Aug 15 - The runway at Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport (LTSAAS) in Subang has been reopened after being temporarily closed following a helicopter explosion and fire during an engine run-up test earlier this afternoon.
Bernama reported Malaysian Civil Aviation Authority (CAAM) chief executive officer Datuk Norazman Mahmud as saying that the incident occurred at Taxiway Victor, leading to a temporary suspension of flights.
"The runway was reopened for air traffic at 2.57pm. Passengers are advised to check with their respective airlines for the latest updates on their flights," he said when contacted.
Norazman said during the runway closure, eight inbound flights were diverted to other airports, while three departing flights had to be delayed.
Meanwhile, flight information displays at the airport showed revised schedules for several flights to various destinations.
Earlier, CAAM said in a statement that the LTSAAS runway has been closed, with all arriving and departing flights suspended until further notice, following a helicopter fire at the airport.
It advised passengers to contact their respective airlines for further information on their flights.
CAAM confirmed that the incident involved a Ukraine-registered Kamov Ka-32S helicopter, which caught fire at about 12.28pm while undergoing a ground engine test as part of maintenance activities.
“The incident will be investigated by the Air Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) under the Transport Ministry (MOT).
“The investigation will be conducted in accordance with Part XXVI of the Civil Aviation Regulations 2016,” it said.
The Selangor Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) received an emergency call about the incident at 12.30pm, with fire engines arriving at the scene four minutes later.
Selangor JBPM assistant director of operations Ashrul Riezal Asbar said four individuals managed to escape when the fire broke out.
Based on preliminary information from the Airport Fire and Rescue Service (AFRS), all four were Ukrainian nationals comprising a pilot, co-pilot and two male crew members.
One of them was reportedly injured by debris while outside the helicopter.
Ashrul said the firefighting operation was carried out by the AFRS team, assisted by on-duty personnel and a Fire Rescue Tender (FRT).
