Lorry driver still haunted by horror of plane crash

KUALA SELANGOR: The memory of a motorcyclist being burned alive in a plane crash at the Elmina Township continues to haunt lorry driver Muhd Affendi Sobri, nearly a month after the incident. Muhd Affendi, 32, was delivering goods from Subang to Rawang along the Guthrie Corridor Expressway (GCE) when he witnessed the Beechcraft Model 390 (Premier 1) fall from the sky. He immediately drove to the Elmina exit and stopped nearby to assist. He instructed his attendant to call the Fire and Rescue Department and grabbed a fire extinguisher to help.

Affendi shared the horrifying experience, stating that he heard the motorcyclist shouting for help. Unfortunately, it was impossible for him to approach the victim due to the intense heat. Despite his efforts, Affendi could only watch helplessly as the fire consumed the motorcyclist, with minor explosions occurring during the incident. He confessed that the traumatic event still torments him and expressed regret for being unable to do more to save the victim. Fire and Rescue Department personnel arrived at the scene shortly after the incident.

Affendi emphasized that his willingness to help in similar situations remains intact, regardless of the horror he witnessed that day. On August 17, a fatal plane crash occurred near Bandar Elmina in Shah Alam, Selangor. The crash claimed the lives of 10 individuals, including Datuk Seri Johari Harun, the chairman of Pahang’s local government, housing, environment, and green technology committee. Among the victims were the two flight crew members and six passengers of the aircraft, as well as a car driver and the motorcyclist who happened to be on the road at that time. The ill-fated plane was en route from Langkawi to Subang.