PETALING JAYA: The site of the plane crash – Elmina Township in Shah Alam was also the site of another air crash back in 1977.
On Sept 27, 1977, a McDonnell Douglas aircraft of Japan Airlines Flight 715 also crashed at the site – then known as Elmina Estate – some 6km from the Sultan Abdul Aziz Airport in Subang, formerly known as Subang International Airport.
At that time the site was a rubber plantation.
The plane was on its way from Kai Tak International Airport in Hong Kong to Subang.
The crash killed 34 people of the 79 people onboard. There were 43 survivors.
The aircraft had struck a 91m hill during a thunderstorm.
Airport officials said some of the survivors were brought from the crash scene to the Kuala Lumpur airport by helicopter. The plane was due to stop in Kuala Lumpur before flying on to Singapore.
According to reports, alerted by the control tower of heavy rains and thunderstorms near the airport. The pilot agreed to the controller’s suggestion that he fly on to Singapore, to the South
Then, all contact was lost. All planes in the area were then alerted to look out for the JAL jet.
A few minutes later the captain of a Malaysian Airlines plane reported sighting a huge ball of fire north of the airport.
Credit: The Star : News Feed
