IPOH, Sept 11 — The radar system at the Kuala Lumpur Air Traffic Control Centre (KLATCC) recorded a sharp loss of altitude from the privately-owned Eurocopter helicopter that went missing near Bidor shortly after noon today.

Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) chief executive officer Datuk Captain Chester Voo said there were no distress calls from the lone pilot on board as air traffic controllers tried to make contact.

"Review from the radar readings indicated a large loss of altitude in less than a minute.

"The Kuala Lumpur Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre (KLARCC) at KLATCC was immediately activated to determine the helicopter’s location,” Voo said in a statement, adding that the missing aircraft is a Eurocopter EC120B, with the registration marking N409HH, and operated by Heli Outpost Sdn Bhd.

He said Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) and Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) helicopters are currently at the last known location to conduct search and rescue (SAR) efforts.

Transport Minister Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong earlier told reporters here that the helicopter lost radio contact with the KLATCC at 12.16pm before CAAM reported the aircraft as missing.

It had taken off from Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in Subang at 11.37am and was scheduled to land at the Sultan Azlan Shah Airport here an hour later.

Wee said the aircraft’s last known location was a forest area near Bidor.

Checks by Bernama found that a SAR operations room had been opened at the Langkap Mosque, while Perak police chief Datuk Mohd Yusri Hassan Basri had also attended a briefing on the search efforts at the Bidor police station. — Bernama