KUALA LUMPUR – A Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) officer, Col Hasnol Hisham Abu Hassan, died at the St Joseph Medical Centre in Tacoma, Seattle, Washington in the United States on Saturday (Malaysia, November 21). He was 50.
The RMAF public affairs division announced in a statement tonight that Hasnol Hisham died at 10.58pm Seattle, Washington time (2.58pm Sunday Malaysian time) after falling unconscious during the Airman to Airman Talks (A2ATs) programme at Camp Murray Seattle, Washington held from November 14 to 19.
“On November 16, Hasnol Hisham lost consciousness and was rushed to the St Joseph Medical Centre in Tacoma, Seattle, Washington for treatment and emergency surgery for acute type of aortic dissection.
“He died at the hospital with his wife, Rohani Tahir, by his side,” the statement read.
According to the statement, Hasnol Hisham, the training director at the RMAF Headquarters’ Human Resources Division (Training) has been buried with full military honours at the Covington Islamic Cemetery, Washington today, 6.30am Malaysian time.
His funeral arrangements will be conducted by the House of Mercy and Malaysian Muslims led by Capt Ayub S. Laari.
“For funeral arrangements, the Washington Air National Guard under Brig-Gen Gent Welsh offered to bestow a full military honours burial ceremony for Hasnol Hisham and to coordinate funeral arrangements under the supervision of RMAF officers.
“Malaysian Defense Adviser in the United States, Brig-Gen Mohd Fadzil Mohd Diah, has coordinated and discussed with the Washington Air National Guard so that the burial will be conducted in a suitable and appropriate manner,” the statement read.
Chief of Air Force Gen Tan Sri Ackbal Abdul Samad and the entire RMAF community also conveyed their appreciation and thanks to all parties involved in Hasnol Hisham’s funeral arrangements. – Bernama, November 24, 2021
