A small plane, believed to be carrying nine people, has reportedly crashed into a remote forest in Thailand.
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On Thursday, August 22, a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan took off from Bangkok, transporting a European family to Trat province in southeastern Thailand, as reported by Asia Pacific Press. The aircraft tragically crashed behind Wat Khao Din in the Bang Pakong district of Chachoengsao around 3:18 p.m. local time.
Local sources, including the Thai Public Broadcasting Service (Thai PBS), report that seven passengers and two crew members were on board. Images from the scene reveal the plane’s wreckage, along with clothing found at the site.
According to Thai PBS, the aircraft was en route to Ko Mai Si Airport, having departed at 2:46 p.m. local time. It lost signal shortly after, around 2:57 p.m.
Authorities Detail the Ongoing Investigation Regarding the Crash
Police Lieutenant Warayut Chanwichumet, Deputy Chief of Investigation at the Bangpakong district station, provided insights on the plane crash.
“We have blocked off the area to prevent further accidents due to an oil leak from the plane,” Chanwichumet said, per The Mirror.
“We have inspected the wreckage and have not yet found any pilot or passengers.[The investigation] will expand the search radius and dig the ground beneath the wreckage to locate the pilot and passengers,” Chanwichumet added.
Eyewitnesses Recount Hearing an Explosion Before the Plane Crashed in the Forest
Meanwhile, witnesses reported hearing an explosion prior to the crash.
“There were explosions in the air. Before the plane fell, the sound was loud, then the plane fell to the ground. After that, I ran to see the scene. Pieces of the plane had been scattered around, including near a house,” 69-year-old Ang Trasawat said, per The Mirror.
56-year-old Preecha Boontham also recalled hearing the plane before it crashed.
“I heard the plane accelerating very loudly,” she said. “There was no smoke coming out. Then the plane descended towards the fields and landed in the mangrove forest. It was a small white plane with two wings. After the crash, there was a loud explosion,” she added.
Reportedly, among the items discovered at the crash site were women’s clothing and a photograph of three women. Trat province, the intended destination of the plane, is situated in southeastern Thailand, adjacent to Cambodia. This region is renowned for its pristine white sandy beaches and coral reefs.