TEBAKANG (Serian): "Mummy, mummy, where are you going?" screamed 4-year-old Allesia Felice Haslie as she tried to reach the casket of her mother, Joanna Felicia Rohna, 26, being carried out of a relative's house in Kampung Engkaroh.
The Able Seaman was among 10 naval personnel killed in a mid-air collision between two helicopters over the Lumut naval base on Tuesday. They were rehearsing the fly-by for the navy's 90th anniversary when the collision happened. The ceremony on Saturday had been cancelled in view of the tragedy.
The little girl's 33-year-old father, Navy Petty Officer Haslie Ali, had a hard time restraining her as the pall bearers filed past and the hearse made its way to the village cemetery 2km away.
Relatives managed to calm Allesia down but she kept crying for her mother at the graveside service, bringing tears to relatives and family friends.
It was a different story for Felicia's 1-year-old son, Hovannes Haslie, who slept through the service.
Felicia was laid to rest before noon today at the village cemetery.
The navy was represented by Rear Admiral Franklin Jeyasekhar Joseph, director of the littoral combat ship project.
The army was represented by the commanding officer of the first infantry division, Major General Datuk Fauzi Kamis, and acting Chief of Staff, Eastern Field Command, Brigadier-General Mohd Rafi Muhammad.
Serian member of parliament Richard Riot was also present.
Felicia's body had arrived in Kuching at 11.54 last night on an air force C-130 transport plane.
The body was transported to her aunt-in-law's house about 120km from Kuching.
