Another helicopter crash has occurred in Sarawak, the third in just as many months, leaving four people dead.

In the latest incident, a Bell 206 Jet Ranger, belonging to Hornbill Skyways, crashed about 12km south of Asajaya this morning.

Sarawak Utility Minister Awang Tengah Ali Hassan told a press conference in Kuching that the victims were found in a secondary jungle near a plantation.

He said the control tower received an emergency call at around 10.10am and the ill-fated chopper was spotted by a training aircraft also owned by Hornbill at 10.25am.

A team of fire and rescue department personnel and paramedics, who were flown to the site in a Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) helicopter at 11.10am, confirmed that the four passengers were dead.

The victims were identified as Beti Ahlek, Awangku Iskandar Awangku Anwar, Yong Kian Leong and pilot Abang Ibrahim Abang Ismail.

Beti, was Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister Alfred Jabu's private secretary, Awangku was the bodyguard of Adenan Satem, the natural resources and environment minister, while Yong was an amateur photographer.

The helicopter left Kuching at 9.40am and was heading for Rumah Gema, Skrang in the Lubuk Antu district for a meet-the-people session.

The helicopter was one of two which left at the same time. The other, which reached its destination safely, was ferrying among others, Jabu and Adenan.

The victims' bodies were airlifted from the site using a RMAF Nuri helicopter and arrived at the Hornbill Skyways hangar at 5.20pm.

Investigation ordered

On July 12, another Bell 206 helicopter belonging to Hornbill Skyways had crashed in Ba'Kelalan.

Among the seven killed in that incident, were Sarawak Assistant Minister Dr Judson Tagal, Padawan Muncipal Council chairperson Lawrence Th'ng and Sarawak Electricity Supply Corporation (Sesco) chief executive Roger Wong.

On Aug 15, a RMAF Nuri helicopter also went down near Ba'Kelalan and three of its 10 passengers were killed.

Meanwhile, the Transport Ministry has directed Hornbill Skyways to ground all its helicopters with immediate effect following the latest incident.

In a press statement, the ministry said it has also directed the Department of Civil Aviation to carry out an investigation into the crash.

JIMMY TEOH is malaysiakini 's Sarawak-based stringer.