A small turboprop plane crashed in Thailand on Thursday afternoon, resulting in the deaths of five Chinese citizens, including two children, and four Thai nationals. The incident has shocked Chinese netizens.
On Thursday, a plane carrying 9 passengers crashed near the Thai capital Bangkok, sparking a large-scale search and rescue operation. Rescue teams trekked through muddy terrain and dug through thick mangroves into the late hours of the night.
The Cessna Caravan C208B turboprop plane had two Thai pilots, five Chinese passengers, and two Thai crew members, all of whom perished. Authorities are investigating the crash.
The Chinese embassy in Thailand confirmed to Chinese state media Xinhua that five of the nine individuals on board were Chinese nationals.
Local media reported that among the deceased were two children aged 12 and 13.
According to the Public Relations Office of the governing body in Nakhon Si Thammarat province, the small aircraft took off from Bangkok’s main international airport at 2:46 pm local time on Thursday, heading to an airport in the eastern province of Surat Thani.
The office stated in a release that the aircraft lost contact with the ground approximately 10 minutes after takeoff.
Residents of Bang Pakong district in Nakhon Si Thammarat said they witnessed the plane fall from the sky, with a loud explosion upon impact damaging nearby houses.
In a video provided by the provincial government, a resident told officials, “I was sitting in front of my house at that time. The plane flew over our house, the engines made a loud roar. A few seconds later, the plane crashed here, making a huge crashing sound.”
Luxury resort Soneva Kiri on Koh Kood island confirmed to CNN that the two Thai passengers (crew members) were employed by them. Guests at the resort typically arrive at a nearby airport by private plane and then travel to the island by speedboat.
The resort stated that they are fully cooperating with authorities’ investigations.
The provincial government of Nakhon Si Thammarat said that the plane wreckage was scattered in the mud, with nearly 70 body fragments which have been taken to a police hospital for identification.
Photos and videos released by the provincial office showed a large presence of rescue and emergency workers. They were examining the plane debris, including carry-on luggage and open bags, with the help of headlamps as night fell. Large excavators were digging through mud and mangroves, with some workers wading in knee-deep ponds to retrieve wreckage.
A rescue worker told “New Beijing News” that they had to dig 3 meters at the crash site to find the victims’ bodies.
The provincial office mentioned that they will analyze the plane wreckage to determine the cause of the crash, as the aircraft did not have a black box.
According to aviation safety websites, the Cessna Caravan C208B was operated by a Thai aviation service company. It transported passengers from Bangkok to a luxury island resort approximately 275 kilometers southeast of the Thai capital in the coastal province of Surat Thani.
Several Chinese netizens recognized the plane and expressed shock. “I am shocked because I just flew on that plane. I also felt the plane was too small and possibly unsafe at the time. But if you don’t take that plane, it would be inconvenient to get to the island,” a user posted on Weibo.
(This article referenced reports from CNN and South China Morning Post)