Nine confirmed dead in Chachoengsao plane crash (video)

A small plane carrying nine people, including passengers and crew, tragically crashed just 10 minutes after takeoff in Chachoengsao province yesterday. All on board are dead.

The harrowing incident occurred yesterday afternoon, August 22, when officials began the grim task of recovering the wreckage in Moo 6, Ban Khao Din, Bang Pakong district.

Initially, the bodies of the passengers were nowhere to be found, sparking concern. However, it was soon discovered that the aircraft had plunged nose-first into the earth, embedding itself more than 10 metres deep in the muddy ground.

The recovery effort has been fraught with challenges. Rescuers had to bring in an excavator to clear a waterway at the crash site, as seawater flooded the area, which is surrounded by rice fields, irrigation canals, fish ponds, and shrimp farms.

The aircraft, a Cessna Caravan C208 with registration HSSKR, belonged to Thai Flying Service Company Limited and was operating as flight TFT209.

It took off from Suvarnabhumi Airport at 2.46pm, en route to Trat Airport. Contact was lost with Bangkok Approach at 2.57pm, just 18.7 nautical miles from its departure point.

Photo courtesy of KhaoSod English

Chachoengsao Province Governor Chonlatee Yangtrong revealed that approximately 300 officials have been mobilised in the search for the bodies. So far, several human body parts have been discovered.

Among the passengers were five Chinese nationals, including a 12 year old girl, and four Thai nationals, including the two pilots and two flight attendants, reported KhaoSod English.

Apart from the 12 year old girl, the four other Chinese nationals were identified as a 43 year old female named Zhang, a 45 year old Chinese woman, and two 13 year old girls named Yin and Tang.

The four Thai nationals were identified as a 35 year old woman named Napak and 26 year old Siriyupa who were both flight attendants, 30 year old Pornsak (co-pilot), and 61 year old Anucha (pilot).

Photo courtesy of KhaoSod English

Rescue teams have been working tirelessly, rotating shifts to continue the search. They have also deployed an excavator with a longer arm to reach the deeply buried wreckage after the initial equipment proved inadequate. The mission to recover the bodies continues, but hopes of finding any survivors are all but gone.

Photo courtesy of JetPhotos

ORIGINAL STORY: Chachoengsao plane crash sparks fears of possible deaths

A small plane crash sparked a frantic search for survivors after it went down in a remote, mangrove-covered area of Chachoengsao province this afternoon.

The crash, which occurred at 3.15pm, today, August 22, near Wat Khao Din in the Bang Pakong district, left the plane’s wreckage scattered across the dense, inaccessible forest, leaving rescue teams scrambling to locate any passengers.

Rescue teams are currently battling harsh conditions to comb through the wreckage, with no survivors found yet. Officials fear the worst, as they suspect the pilot may be trapped in the thick mud. At the crash site, rescuers discovered items including clothing and a watch, fuelling concerns that someone may still be buried in the treacherous terrain.

A bag filled with documents and photographs was recovered from the crash site. The belongings are believed to be that of a foreign woman, raising the possibility that a child might have been aboard the ill-fated flight. Local officials are desperately trying to piece together the identity of the victims and the circumstances surrounding the crash.

Eyewitnesses reported seeing the plane spiral out of control before plummeting into the forest, where it erupted into a massive fireball. The cause of the crash remains unclear, and officials have yet to determine the type of aircraft or its intended destination.

The crash site is currently bogged down by mud, with leaked aircraft fuel adding to the challenges faced by rescue teams, reported ASEAN NOW.

This is a breaking news story. More to follow…