Phuket marks another year without memorial for One-Two-Go flight crash victims

Phuket has seen another year pass without official memorial services to commemorate the 90 victims of the calamitous One-Two-Go flight crash that occurred 16 years ago on September 16, 2007. This absence of remembrance has become the standard practice among the local authorities. Many argue it dishonours the air disaster that stands among Thailand’s most fatal.

Phuket International Airport, operated by Airports of Thailand Phuket branch (AoT Phuket), has never hosted any service to honour the victims. This lack of recognition extends to the tragic events that unfolded when One-Two-Go Flight 269 crashed amidst a failed go-around following an aborted landing due to heavy rainfall and powerful crosswinds.

The aircraft, a McDonnell Douglas MD-82, was running a scheduled flight from Bangkok to Phuket (OG269) with 123 passengers and seven crew members on board. The anticipated landing time was approximately 3.40pm. However, due to adverse weather conditions, the ground control called off the landing clearance and directed the crew for a go-around. The plane collided with a runway embankment and erupted into flames.

Regrettably, 89 passengers on board perished at the scene, and another survivor later succumbed to burn injuries in the hospital. In total, 40 other passengers on One-Two-Go Flight 269 survived the crash but suffered varying degrees of injuries. The passengers hailed from Thailand, the UK, France, Australia, Canada, and other countries.

In the aftermath of the crash, the budget airline One-Two-Go faced severe criticism regarding safety regulations. Consequently, the airline was shut down in July 2010 by its parent company, Orient Thai, which itself ceased operations in October 2018.

Local rescue worker, Chukiat Ayuperm, who heads the Thepkasattri branch of the Kusoldharm Foundation Phuket and also volunteers with the Pitakkarn Foundation, posted his personal remembrance of the dreadful accident earlier today. His post included photos of local rescue workers at the scene, reports The Phuket News.

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