Pilot Mejar C. Kayamboo, who was killed when his aircraft crashed at the Butter­worth RMAF airbase, was buried with full military honours

Pilot buried with full military honours



THE STAR



GEORGE TOWN: Pilot Mejar C. Kayamboo (pic), who was killed when his aircraft crashed at the Butter­worth RMAF airbase, was buried with full military honours here.

Eight RMAF officers in uniform carried the casket, draped in the Jalur Gemilang, to the burial plot at the Batu Lanchang Hindu cemetery yesterday.

The flag was then handed over to Kayamboo’s widow M. Usha, 42, just before the casket was lowered into the plot.

Usha and Kayamboo’s mother M. Indradewi, 65, were seen crying in­consolably while Kayamboo’s fa­­ther M. Chellam, 72, who had been calm earlier, broke down at the burial.



Kayamboo’s four children were also present during the burial yesterday.

Earlier, about 300 people, inclu­ding RMAF officers and personnel, witnessed the rituals and rites conducted at Kayamboo’s house in Taman Sri Nibong yesterday.






Chellam said the family was supposed to celebrate Kayamboo’s 45th birthday on Wednesday, but they would now remember it as his death anniversary.

“He wanted to be a pilot since his school days and was rejected by both Malaysia Airlines and Singa­pore Airlines as he was 5cm shorter than the required height. The RMAF finally accepted him,” he said.

RMAF Air Support Services Com­mander Lt-Jen Datuk Seri Abdul Mutalib Abdul Wahab, who was at the cemetery, denied a news report from a Malay daily that the twin turbo-prop Beechcraft model King Air 200T aircraft was trying to avoid an ammunition dump when it crashed.

“We are looking at all angles, but the news report is speculative as there were no witnesses,” he added.

The aircraft, which crashed at the RMAF base on Wednesday while landing, killed Kayamboo and injured three other personnel.

“Probably the injured personnel would be able to shed some light, but they will have to recover first,” he added.

The three personnel are reported to be in stable condition. Two of them are admitted at the Penang Hospital while the third is at the RMAF hospital at Wangsa Maju, Kuala Lumpur.

RMAF chief Jen Datuk Seri Affendi Buang told reporters at the mortuary at the Seberang Jaya Hos­pi­­tal that the plane had a good flight record with no mechanical failure.

He also said the weather was clear when the plane crashed at 5.18pm.

Deputy Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Johari Baharum, who was also present, said Kayamboo had a good track record and was a senior trainer in his squadron