Staff at Miri Hospital bid farewell to colleagues killed in Long Lellang FDS helicopter crash

Miri Hospital nurses and other staff members gather to bid final farewell to the late Jessie, one of the five victims of the FDS helicopter crash in Long Lellang. — The Borneo Post pic

First Published: Monday, 14 Sep 2026 11:52 AM MYT

MIRI, Sept 14 — A sombre mood filled Miri Hospital yesterday as nurses and other staff members gathered to pay their last respects to three of their colleagues who were killed in the Flying Doctor Service (FDS) helicopter crash in Long Lellang on Tuesday.

Some had gathered at the hospital’s multi-faith room in the early morning before making their way to Block B to bid final farewell to staff nurse Debra Moset, 40, whose remains were brought out of the mortuary at 7.23am.

Her remains were later taken to a flight bound for Kuching International Airport at around 10am under the arrangement coordinated by Layang-Layang Aerospace Sdn Bhd.

Meanwhile, the remains of medical assistant Alexson Adit Henry, 31, were brought out of the mortuary at about 9am, while the remains of Jessie Paya Jok, another staff nurse, were released at around noon.

Jessie’s husband Larry Bilong Kule thanked those who had supported the family, saying that ‘only God could repay their kindness’.

He said Jessie had hoped to further her studies next year with the encouragement of her matron.

“That was her hope. But what can we do? It will not come true,” he lamented.

Larry also invited members of the public to attend Jessie’s funeral at Lambir yesterday, scheduled to start at 3pm.

Alexson is expected to be laid to rest in the Anglican Cemetery in Lambir here, and Jessie in the Borneo Evangelical Mission (BEM) cemetery, also in Lambir.

Meanwhile, the remains of the helicopter pilot Capt Zainol Afiq Bee Sham, 30, and medical officer Dr Ainul Baraah Kamaruddin, 33, were flown to Peninsular Malaysia and handed over to their respective families.

The loss of the five lives was deeply felt by fellow health workers, many of whom had worked alongside the victims and shared the same workplace. — The Borneo Post