Journal of Health Management, IHMVol: 13 No.1/2016
26
AIR DISASTER MANAGEMENT IN MALAYSIA: INVESTIGATION AND VICTIM IDENTIFICATION
Khoo LS1, Ahmad Hafizam H1, Sarah Aziz AGA2, Mohd Shah M1
1National Institute of Forensic Medicine (NIFM), Hospital Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
2Institute of Environment and Development (LESTARI), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
Abstract
Malaysia has experienced both natural disasters as well as sudden unexpected disaster such as air crash. As a matter of fact, Malaysia was recently overwhelmed with the air disaster grief which involved not only Malaysian but other nationality as well. Air crash involving mass fatalities is air disaster or aviation disaster. Air crash can be categorised as accidental in most cases and non-accidental in situation involving criminal intent such as pilot suicide and act of terrorism.
This paper focused on the investigation and the victim identification team involved in the air disasters in Malaysia. The authors are concerned on the current issues and challenges in legislation, organisation structure, adequate expertise and the understanding of Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) in aviation disaster. The sole objective of the safety investigation of an air crash shall be the prevention of accident and incident, while on the other hand, the victim identification and release of victims to their families will not only provide a humanitarian service, relieving the feelings of suffering and helplessness, but also satisfies several medicolegal requirements. A legalised formation of the investigation bureau as well as the gazetted DVI team will definitely lead a united team towards an efficient and impartial air disaster management that is of international standard.
Keywords: Air Disaster Management, Air Crash, Investigation and DVI
Introduction
Malaysia is geographically located just outside the
“Pacific Rim of Fire” and is considered tectonically safe from severe natural hazards threats such as those attributed to plate tectonic movements, atmospheric low-pressure systems and volcanic eruptions. Throughout the past years, Malaysia has experienced several
extreme weather and climatic events ranging from landslides to periodic monsoon and urban floods,
which have caused devastation to the country.
However, Malaysia also experienced sudden unexpected disaster like the air crash. Most air crashes as well as train crashes and derailments are categorised as accidental disasters.
Accidental mass disasters are most often associated with transportation accidents, fires, industrial and mining accidents, and military accidents.18 However, air crash with criminal intent is not accidental, such as pilot suicide and
