Small aircraft crashes on highway in Malaysia, 10 dead

A small aircraft crashed onto a highway near Shah Alam in the Malaysian state of Selangor on Thursday (Aug 17), killing 10 people including an assemblyman.

"For now, I can say at least 10 people were killed in the plane crash. Two passing motorists - one in a car and one on a motorcycle - also perished together with the eight on board the plane," Shah Alam district police chief Mohamad Iqbal Ibrahim told AFP.

The private jet, carrying six passengers and two crew members, was travelling from the resort island of Langkawi to Subang airport in Selangor when it crashed at about 2.10pm, just before it was due to land.

The aircraft lost contact with the air traffic control tower and crashed into a motorbike and a car on the highway, Selangor police chief Hussein Omar Khan told reporters.

"There was no emergency call, the aircraft had been given clearance to land," he added.

Photos and videos on social media platforms show a burnt section of the highway, with smoke rising from a fire.

The aircraft reportedly plummeted to the ground and exploded upon impact, Free Malaysia Today reported, citing China Press.

Pahang’s Pelangai assemblyman Johari Harun was among those killed.

Local politicians, including United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) communications director Lokman Adam, expressed their condolences on social media.

Malaysia's civil aviation authority (CAAM) said the aircraft made first contact with Subang Air Traffic Control Tower at 2.47pm and landing clearance was given at 2.48pm.

"At 2.51pm, the Subang Air Traffic Control Tower observed smoke originating from the crash site but no mayday call was made by the aircraft," CAAM chief executive Norazman Mahmud said in a statement.

CAAM said the flight was operated by Jet Valet, a Malaysian private jet services company.

Source: Channel NewsAsia