Singaporean pilot dies in a plane crash in Malaysia

A Singaporean pilot on a training flight died Sunday when his single-seat plane crashed into an oil palm plantation in Pontian, Johor, Malaysia.
According to The Star newspaper, the pilot has been identified as 25-year-old Samuel Ling Shi Min. 
The plane went down Sunday in clear weather after taking off from a private flight school in Johor state, local police official Wan Razani Wan Ibrahim said.
The body was found under the plane wreck in the plantation, Wan Razani said.
He said authorities are still investigating what caused the crash and could not confirm what type of plane was involved.
The aircraft is believed to have taken off from Senai airport at about 12.30pm on a routine training exercise.
It later crashed at about 1.30pm in Kampung Parit Puasa in Ayer Baloi, some 16 kilometres from Pontian. 
Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said it is in contact with the next-of-kin of the deceased Singaporean and extends condolences to his family.
The Singapore Consulate-General in Johor Bahru is in contact with the Malaysian authorities.
The MFA spokesman added that consular staff have been despatched to the crash site in Pontian to provide all necessary assistance.
Last week, three Malaysians died when their helicopter went down in a river in bad weather in Sarawak state on Borneo island. Only the German pilot survived.
On the same day, in the sultanate of Brunei, which is also on Borneo, an air force helicopter crashed, killing 12 military personnel returning from jungle training. Two cadets survived.