Bangkok: Despite an exhaustive 11-hour search effort, rescue personnel have been unable to locate any survivors following the crash of a small passenger aircraft at the site of its departure from Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok.
According to reports from the Bangkok Post, the aircraft, operated by Thai Flying Service, was a Cessna Caravan C208 (HS-SKR) carrying nine passengers, including five individuals from China. The flight departed Suvarnabhumi Airport at 2:46 PM on August 22, and lost communication with the Suvarnabhumi control tower around 3 PM.
This domestic flight was scheduled to land at Ko Mai Chee Airport in Trat.
The incident took place at 3:18 PM, with the crash site located behind Wat Khao Din in the Bang Pakong district. The wreckage of the aircraft was discovered in the mud, near a mangrove forest. Additionally, items such as women's clothing and a photograph featuring three foreign women were recovered at the scene.
The fatalities included five Chinese nationals, two Thai flight attendants, and the pilot and co-pilot, Pornsak Totab, who was 30 years old.
Meanwhile, CNN has reported that residents of Chachoengsao's Bang Pakong district witnessed the aircraft plummeting from the sky, accompanied by a loud explosion upon impact. The debris from the crash damaged nearby residences.
In response, large excavators were deployed to clear the debris, with some workers having to wade through knee-deep water to retrieve fragments. The challenging conditions, including the high tide of the river, necessitated the construction of embankments to prevent further water intrusion. The search operation was temporarily halted at 2 AM and resumed on Friday morning.
