Elmina tragedy: victim sends selfie for first time before fatal crash

Sister says it was peculiar, a gesture that remains unexplained

5:52 PM MYT

 

LUMUT – A passenger in the plane that crashed on the Guthrie Highway near Bandar Elmina in Shah Alam, Selangor, yesterday was said to have acted strangely by sending family members selfies while onboard the flight.

Norsyahirah Omar, 29, said taking and sending selfies was something her brother, Commander Shaharul Amir Omar, 49, one of the crash victims, had never done before.

“He had never shared his selfies but only sent photos of the places he visited to the family WhatsApp group.

“He must have been very excited to be on the flight, which was not his usual self, and told us how happy he was to be on the flight, and said that it was a treat from his boss. 

“He sent so many selfies during the flight. Maybe he knew that he was leaving us,” she said when met at her brother’s residence in Seri Manjung here today.

Norsyahirah, who is the youngest of six siblings, said the family was shocked when they saw a viral video of the plane crash and attempted to contact Shaharul, but failed to do so.

She described Shaharul, who was a Royal Malaysian Navy retiree, as a responsible son and brother.

“After our father died in 2010, he was the one who took care of our needs,” she added.

She said her brother left a wife and four children, aged 12 to 19 years old.

At the moment, the family is still waiting for a decision on whether the human remains of the plane crash victims will be buried together in one grave in Selangor, she added.

Yesterday, a Beechcraft Model 390 (Premier 1) plane crashed on Guthrie Highway near Bandar Elmina, killing 10 individuals, including Pahang Local Government, Housing, Environment and Green Technology Committee chairman Datuk Seri Johari Harun.

The incident, which occurred at about 2.50pm yesterday, resulted in 10 casualties, of which six were passengers and two crew members onboard the flight. 

The remaining two victims were a motorcyclist and a motorist passing by when the plane crashed.

The ill-fated aircraft was on its way from Langkawi to Subang and had been cleared to land at 2.48 pm. – August 18, 2023

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