KUALA LUMPUR, April 12 — The Ministry of Transport has released today the final investigation report on a 1976 plane crash in Sabah, known as the “Double Six” tragedy.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the declassification of the report was completed on April 6 in accordance with Section 2C of the Official Secrets Act 1972.
“The Ministry of Transport is committed to continuing this principle of transparency,” he said in a statement today.
Click here to view the full report on the ministry’s official website,
Following an announcement by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on April 5, the government agreed to declassify the report on the plane crash, which occurred approximately 3km off Kota Kinabalu airport on June 6, 1976.
In the incident, a total of 11 lives were lost, including the senior leadership of the Sabah state government at that time.
Among them were Sabah chief minister Tun Fuad Stephens; Sabah housing and government minister Datuk Peter Joinod Mojuntin; communications and public works minister Datuk Chong Thien Vun; Sabah finance minister Datuk Salleh Sulong; deputy chief minister’s assistant minister Datuk Darius Binion; finance minister’s secretary Datuk Wahid Peter Andau; economic planning unit director Dr Syed Hussein Wafa; Malaysian minister of finance’s private secretary Ishak Atan; chief minister’s bodyguard Corporal Said Mohammad; chief minister’s son Johari Fuad Stephens; and pilot Gandhi J. Nathan.
The final investigation report of the GAF Nomad N22B passenger plane, registered 9M-ATZ, was completed on January 25, 1977, and then presented to the federal Cabinet in March 1977.
However, the results of the investigation and the report were never made public, and for almost 47 years, the victims’ families never knew what caused the crash.
