SUBANG, Aug 15 — The runway at Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport here has been reopened after being temporarily closed following a helicopter exploding and catching fire during an engine run-up test earlier this afternoon.

Malaysian Civil Aviation Authority (CAAM) chief executive officer Capt Datuk Norazman Mahmud said the incident occurred at Taxiway Victor, leading to a temporary suspension of flights.

“The runway was reopened for air traffic at 2.57pm. Passengers are advised to check with their respective airlines for the latest updates on their flights,” he said when contacted today.

Norazman said during the runway closure, eight inbound flights were diverted to other airports, while three departing flights had to be delayed.

Meanwhile, flight information displays at the airport showed revised schedules for several flights to various destinations.

Earlier, CAAM had announced that the runway was temporarily closed, with all departures and arrivals suspended until further notice.

The explosion involving a Kamov KaV-32S helicopter owned by a Ukraine-registered company occurred at 12.28pm. The aircraft caught fire during a ground engine run-up test as part of maintenance activities.

Four Ukrainian men comprising the pilot, co-pilot, and two crew members were conducting the maintenance. One of them suffered minor injuries from flying debris. — Bernama