KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysian police have confirmed that two people on board a light aircraft that caught fire and crashed near a town in Selangor on Tuesday (Feb 13) were killed.

Selangor police chief Hussein Omar Khan said that preliminary investigations revealed that the two were Malaysians.

Based on the flight manifest, the Malaysian men have been identified as Daniel Yee Hsiang Khoon, 30 and Roshaan Singh Rania, 42.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Selangor Fire and Rescue Department said that it received a distress call at 1.56pm and firefighters arrived at the scene around 2.20pm.

Photographs supplied by the department to the media indicated that the aircraft bore markings of Singapore-based flight trainer company Aviation Safety Technology.

Identification on the aircraft describes it as a model Gabriél BK160 TR training aircraft by Italian manufacturer Blackshape.

On its website, the company described the aircraft to be "designed as a tandem-seating, military-style basic trainer which serves for selection and introduction of cadets to aviation".

TODAY has reached out to Aviation Safety Technology for comment.

Mr Hussein said during a press conference that the process of recovering the bodies was ongoing as the 1,300kg aircraft was buried 2m deep.

"Based on the victims' identification card, one of them is from Johor, while the other is from Penang.

"The body was discovered about 2pm at the cockpit area and recovery process is ongoing.

The operation is expected to conclude in about three hours," he said.

Mr Hussein added that both victims, in their 40s and 30s, were members of a recreational flying club.

"The pilot is a flying instructor attached to the club while the passenger is one of its members.

"They were conducting a recreational flight.

"We believe that the body is still intact and will be sent to the Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital, Klang, for post mortem."

He added that further investigations will be conducted by the Malaysian Transport Ministry's Air Accident Investigation Bureau. AGENCIES