It’s believed there are no survivors after a small plane crashed in a mangrove forest in the south-central province of Chachoengsao, not far from Suvarnabhumi Airport.
Flight TFT209, operated by Thai Flying Service flying a Cessna Caravan C208 aircraft, was en route from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport to Trat when it came down in a mangrove forest in the Bang Pakong district, 10 minutes after taking off.
The flight was carrying 5 passengers, 2 cabin crew members, and 2 pilots and departed Suvarnabhumi at 2.46pm yesterday, August 22.
PHOTO: The actual Cessna Caravan that crashed in Chachoengsao – Thai PBS World
According to a Nation Thailand report, shortly after take-off, the flight lost contact with air traffic control. Some time later, information began to filter through on social media that the aircraft had crashed in a swampy area near Wat Khao Din in Bang Pakong.
Rescue workers arrived at the scene to find the scattered wreckage of the plane half-buried in mud, and a skid mark about 100 metres long. Other reports claim the plane nose-dived into the mangrove, burying the nose 10 metres into the mud.
The first items recovered by volunteer rescuers were a suitcase, which it’s thought belonged to a foreign woman, and some baby items.
The authorities cordoned off the scene due to aviation fuel leaking into water nearby. At 5pm, Chachoengsao governor Chonlathi Youngtrong arrived to supervise the recovery operation, with backhoes brought in to help with digging and clearing the waterway at the site.
Rescue workers had to work against the clock due to an impending high tide at 8pm that threatened to flood the area. By 7.40pm, they had found some human remains, along with some items such as luggage, airplane seats, and passengers’ documents.
Efforts to find more bodies continued until 2am then resumed early this morning.
Efforts are also underway to locate the aircraft’s black box, which is thought to be underwater, to establish the cause of the crash. According to the report, one witness says there was a loud explosion before the plane came down, with some debris hitting a nearby property.
The operation to recover the bodies of the 9 victims continues. They have been named as follows:
• Chang Jing Jing, 12 years old
• Chang Jing, 43 years old
• Tang Yu, 42 years old
• Yin Jin Fang, 45 years old
• Yin Hang, 13 years old
• Napak Jeerasiri, 35 years old
• Siriyupa Arunathit, 26 years old
• Pornsak Totap, 30 years old, co-pilot
• Captain Anucha Dejapirakchon, 61 years old, pilot
SOURCE: Nation Thailand
