Phuket flyer dodges tornado terror as storm grounds landing (video)
A Thai tourist got more turbulence than he bargained for today on a family getaway to Phuket, when a tornado ripped through the skies, forcing his flight to abort landing mid-descent.
Gripped by fear, the shaken passenger admitted he chanted prayers as the plane circled the island for half an hour waiting for the skies to clear.
Holiday plans turned hair-raising for 38 year old Thongchai, owner of the FocusKhonkaen page, who was travelling with his family on a Thai AirAsia flight bound for Phuket when the terrifying ordeal unfolded today, April 25.
Just as the aircraft prepared to descend, ominous clouds gathered over the sea and the weather took a sinister turn.
“I was filming the view as we were about to land, then suddenly, the sky darkened and rain started to pour. Then I saw it, a tornado, swirling right below us. I’ve never seen one up close before.”
The twister swept across the sea near the flight path, prompting the captain to abort the landing and circle for safety, reported KhaoSod. Passengers sat in anxious silence as the aircraft battled the elements mid-air for a full 30 minutes before it finally touched down safely.
“The captain did a great job, but we were all shaken. A tourist near me said it was his first time flying to Phuket and he was so scared, he started chanting the Mahajakkraphat prayer over and over.”
Footage of the tornado, posted on his page, shows the waterspout forming ominously over the Andaman Sea as the aircraft looped above the chaos below.
Locals were unfazed by the dramatic display, brushing it off as a “normal occurrence” during Phuket’s stormy season. But for those onboard, it was anything but ordinary.
“It was a once-in-a-lifetime scare,” Thongchai said. “I’ll never forget it.”
Netizens in Phuket lit up social media two weeks ago with a similar tornado story when witnessing water spouts moving through Chalong Bay’s anchorage.
However, a member of Phuket Cruising Yacht Club, clarified that this was not the case.
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