Thailand: Small Police Plane Crashes Near Hua Hin Airport, Resulting in at Least 5 Officers Killed
A small police plane crashed near the sea area close to Hua Hin Airport in Thailand, leading to the deaths of at least 5 police officers. Authorities mentioned that the plane was originally conducting a test flight for parachute training, and they are currently investigating the cause of the crash, including retrieving the black box to obtain data from it.
According to a spokesperson for the Thai police, Archayon Kraithong, the plane crashed around 8 a.m. while it was conducting a test flight in the Hua Hin area in preparation for parachute training.
The officials did not immediately disclose the model of the propeller plane, but based on photos taken at the scene, it appears to be a Viking DHC-6 Twin Otter, a multi-purpose transport aircraft. The Public Relations Department of Prachuab Kiri Khan Province stated that the plane crashed in the sea area near Hua Hin Airport.
Photos show the wreckage of the plane falling about 100 meters (330 feet) from the shore into the sea, with the fuselage seemingly split into two pieces.
Archayon mentioned that there were a total of 6 people on board, all of whom were police officers. Initially, he stated that 5 people died at the scene and 1 person died after being taken to the hospital; however, it was later corrected to 5 fatalities, with another person sustaining critical injuries and still alive after being hospitalized.
The cause of the crash remains unclear. Archayon stated that the authorities are collecting relevant evidence, including data from the plane’s black box.
(This article referenced relevant reports from the Associated Press)