11-07-2025
Father recounts son's final call before police chopper crash
JOHOR BARU: "Before my son took off in the helicopter, he called me and asked for my prayers for everything to go smoothly," said Baharom Mohamed, 82.
Baharom is the father of Superintendent Ahmad Bustamin Baharom, 46, who was involved in a helicopter crash along with four other crew members aboard an AS355N helicopter that went down near Sungai Pulai, Gelang Patah yesterday.
Baharom said that shortly after the call, he received a phone call from the authorities informing him that his son had been involved in the crash.
"My son called to let me know he was about to board a helicopter and asked me to pray for his safety before take-off.
"Not long after, I received another call saying the helicopter he was in had crashed. I was shocked, but thank God, he survived and is now being treated in a general ward.
"He suffered fractured bones, including his ribs, swelling to his face, and numbness in his legs, but he's able to talk and recount what happened," he said when met after visiting his son at the main lobby of Sultanah Aminah Hospital (HSA) today.
Baharom, a retired school principal, said his son was the first to emerge from the wreckage, which had crashed into the water, before being rescued by emergency responders.
He added that his son was wearing a safety helmet at the time of the incident.
"We're truly grateful because Ahmad Bustamin had previously undergone relevant training. During yesterday's incident, he managed to exit the wreckage on his own while still conscious and was rescued.
"My wife, Che Ma Abu Bakar, 75, and I, along with the rest of the family, including Ahmad Bustamin's wife, travelled from Alor Star, Kedah at 10pm last night and arrived at 8am this morning. Ahmad Bustamin has four children aged 16, 13, 12, and 9.
"Coincidentally, his eldest child who attends school in Alor Star happened to be in Johor for a school programme, so they were able to meet," he said.
Yesterday, Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Mohd Khalid Ismail said that two of the five crew members on board the police AS355N helicopter that crashed near Sungai Pulai, Gelang Patah, were reported to be in critical condition.
Both victims were on respiratory support, while the remaining three were in stable condition.
The AS355 helicopter, owned by the police, was forced to make an emergency landing near the Sungai Pulai jetty in Gelang Patah while participating in the Malaysia-Indonesia-Thailand-Singapore Maritime Operation (MITSATOM) 2025 training exercise.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) confirmed in a statement that the crash involved an AS355N helicopter with the registration number 9M-PHG.
According to CAAM, the helicopter operated by the police departed from the Tanjung Kupang Police Station at 9.51am carrying five occupants, including the pilot.
