Six Police Officers Killed in Plane Crash Near Hua Hin Airport
A small police aircraft crashed into the sea near Hua Hin airport, resulting in the deaths of all six officers onboard during a test flight after maintenance
A Viking DHC-6-400 Twin Otter plane crashed into the Gulf of Thailand about 100 metres offshore from the Baby Grand Hua Hin Hotel on Friday morning.
The aircraft, which was on a test flight in preparation for a parachute training drill in Hua Hin, went down approximately one kilometre north of Hua Hin airport and about eight kilometres from Hua Hin town in Prachuap Khiri Khan province.
Onboard were three pilots, two mechanics, and an aircraft engineer.
The 191 Emergency Centre reported the accident at 8:15am, stating that five officers died at the scene and another seriously injured pilot succumbed to his injuries at about 4pm on Friday at Hua Hin Hospital.
The deceased officers included pilots Pol Col Prathan Khiewkham and Pol Lt Col Panthep Maneewachirangkul, aircraft engineer Pol Lt Thanawat Mekprasert, mechanics Pol L/Cpl Jeerawat Maksakha and Pol Sgt Maj Prawat Pholhongsa, and pilot Pol Capt Chaturong Wattanapaisarn.
National police chief Kittharath Punpetch inspected the crash site and visited Pol Capt Chaturong in hospital before he passed away.
An initial investigation showed that the aircraft lost stability shortly after leaving the runway, with video taken from shore showing the plane ascending and then going into a vertical nosedive.
Despite attempts to regain control, it plunged into the sea, with the fuselage appearing to break in two upon impact.
The plane had recently undergone maintenance and was one of three Twin Otters acquired by the Royal Thai Police in 2020. An investigation is under way to determine the cause of the crash.
The aircraft, which was on a test flight in preparation for a parachute training drill in Hua Hin, went down approximately one kilometre north of Hua Hin airport and about eight kilometres from Hua Hin town in Prachuap Khiri Khan province.
Onboard were three pilots, two mechanics, and an aircraft engineer.
The 191 Emergency Centre reported the accident at 8:15am, stating that five officers died at the scene and another seriously injured pilot succumbed to his injuries at about 4pm on Friday at Hua Hin Hospital.
The deceased officers included pilots Pol Col Prathan Khiewkham and Pol Lt Col Panthep Maneewachirangkul, aircraft engineer Pol Lt Thanawat Mekprasert, mechanics Pol L/Cpl Jeerawat Maksakha and Pol Sgt Maj Prawat Pholhongsa, and pilot Pol Capt Chaturong Wattanapaisarn.
National police chief Kittharath Punpetch inspected the crash site and visited Pol Capt Chaturong in hospital before he passed away.
An initial investigation showed that the aircraft lost stability shortly after leaving the runway, with video taken from shore showing the plane ascending and then going into a vertical nosedive.
Despite attempts to regain control, it plunged into the sea, with the fuselage appearing to break in two upon impact.
The plane had recently undergone maintenance and was one of three Twin Otters acquired by the Royal Thai Police in 2020. An investigation is under way to determine the cause of the crash.
