BANGKOK, Thailand. A small passenger plane on a domestic flight tragically crashed on Thursday afternoon shortly after departing from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport, with all nine people on board feared dead. The aircraft went down in a mangrove swamp in Chachoengsao province, approximately 40 kilometers (25 miles) from the airport, as confirmed by Thailand’s Civil Aviation Authority.
Rescue teams arriving at the crash site reported finding no survivors among the wreckage. Thai media sources indicated that the passengers included seven individuals and two pilots. Despite difficult conditions in the swampy terrain, rescuers discovered severely fragmented body parts after about an hour of searching. “The terrain is challenging, and the darkness, along with rising tides, has made the recovery operation more difficult,” a spokesperson for the Chachoengsao provincial government stated.
While the identities of the victims have not yet been officially released, it was confirmed that the passengers included five Chinese tourists from Hong Kong, two Thai female crew members, and the Thai pilot and co-pilot.
The ill-fated flight was operated by the Thai Flying Service Company using a Cessna Caravan C208B, a turboprop aircraft known for its use in short-haul flights. The plane took off from Suvarnabhumi Airport at 2:46 p.m. local time (0746 GMT), bound for Trat, a coastal province located about 275 kilometers (171 miles) southeast of Bangkok. However, just 11 minutes into the flight, air traffic control lost radio and radar contact with the aircraft when it was approximately 35 kilometers (22 miles) southeast of the airport.
Video footage from the crash site depicted the plane in highly fragmented pieces, submerged in water amidst a wooded area. Rescuers waded through chest-deep muddy water, adding to the complexity of the recovery efforts.
The cause of the crash remains unknown, and investigators are expected to conduct a thorough inquiry to determine what led to the tragic incident. As the search continues, the families of those aboard await further news in the wake of this devastating accident.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
