Over 800 personnel take part in crash drill

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Fire and Rescue Department personnel putting out a fire at the simulated crash site at Kuching International Airport yesterday.

Fire and Rescue Department personnel putting out a fire at the simulated crash site at Kuching International Airport yesterday.

KUCHING: It was a devastating scenario at Kuching International Airport (KIA) as flight ‘ST666’ from Kuala Lumpur to Kuching crash-landed following engine failure at about 10.05am yesterday.

More than five fire engines from the Fire and Rescue Department of Malaysia and Airport Fire & Rescue Services (AFRS) division which responded to the distress call put out the fire at the crash site.’

That was part of the scene from a full scale aircraft crash exercise executed to ensure all operating agencies at the airport were prepared to manage an emergency.

More than 800 personnel from other departments such as Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), Department of Civil Aviation (DCA), Ministry of Health (MOH), and the Malaysian Red Crescent Society, among others participated in the drill held from 10am to 2pm.

The crash simulation saw 150 volunteers participating as casualties while another 70 volunteers from Air Asia acted as the next-of-kin during the exercise.

“This exercise is very important to ensure the preparedness of the operating agencies and stakeholders at the (Kuching) airport to effectively respond to an aircraft incident or other large scale emergency. It is critical that we plan for and practise these scenarios to ensure the most efficient response,” said KIA senior airport manager Mohd Nadzim Hashim.

Nadzim said through the drills, they hope all safety action can be coordinated in a concerted manner with communication between agencies tested for improvement.

The exercise is also in compliance with the requirement set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and DCA for all airports in Malaysia to conduct a full-scale exercise once every two years. Apart from the exercise, the airports are required to conduct an annual Fire Evacuation Exercise at the terminal building on a regular basis.