KUALA LUMPUR – The declassification of the investigation report into the Sabah Air Nomad N-22B 9M-ATZ crash has been completed on April 6, said Transport Minister Anthony Loke here today.
He said the process was carried out following Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s instruction on April 5.
“As the transport minister who is responsible for civil aviation and air accident reports, I want to clarify again that all the final reports are now open documents under the authority of Section 2C of the Official Secrets Act 1972.
“From today, the full report can be downloaded from the ministry’s official website.
“The final report of the air crash was completed on January 25, 1977 and presented to the federal cabinet in March 1977.
“However, the results of the investigation were never made public. So, for close to 47 years, the facts and cause for the air crash were not known by the victims’ families,” he said.
Eleven individuals perished in the 1976 tragic air crash known as the Double Six Tragedy.
Those who perished include the then Sabah chief minister Tun Fuad Stephens, state housing and local government minister Datuk Peter Mojuntin, works and communication minister Datuk Chong Thien Vun, state finance minister Datuk Salleh Sulong, assistant minister Datuk Darius Binion, state Finance Ministry permanent secretary Datuk Wahid Peter Andau, sabah economic planning unit director Syed Hussein Wafa, federal finance minister secretary Ishak Atan, Fuad’s bodyguard Said Mohammad, Fuad’s son Johari Fuad Stephens, and the pilot Gandhi J. Nathan.
“I wish to record my condolences to the families of those who perished in the crash,” said Loke, adding that all air crash investigations must be done in a transparent and holistic manner to ensure the confidence of the international community in Malaysia’s ability to build a credible aviation industry and in accordance to the highest standards.
The report can be accessed via this link: www.mot.gov.my/en/aviation/reports/n22b-nomad. – The Vibes, April 12, 2023
