Details remain sketchy with news reports citing different numbers of those injured in the crash, although it is believed that four students were among them.
It remains unclear as to how many air force personnel were injured.
According to The Star, the helicopter was reported to have taken off from Tawau airport en route to Semporna when the pilot lost control of the aircraft, and crashed onto the roof of a building under construction in SMK Balung.
Tawau district police chief Assistant Commissioner Fadil Marcus confirmed the incident with the English daily, but said police were still gathering information.
“It is unclear what the exact situation is at the moment or how many are injured,” he was quoted as saying.
According to the New Straits Times, the crash sent many scurrying for safety at the school compound, located about 40km away from Tawau.
Nuri helicopters, it noted, are dispatched to Tawau from the RMAF squadron in Kuching to beef up security in the east coast of Sabah.
Today’s crash marks the umpteenth time a Nuri is involved in such cases.
The last incident occurred in 2007 in Genting Sempah which saw six air force crew members killed. Following the incident, Najib Razak, who was then the deputy prime minister, said the “Nuri’s days were numbered” and would be replaced within three years.
With a seating capacity of 21, this helicopter is used basically as a combat troop carrier, but is sometimes also used in search and rescue missions.
