Bangkok plane crashes in Thailand, pilot killed

Bangkok, Aug 4: The Bangkok Airways flight on Tuesday, Aug 4 skidded off the runways while landing on the Thai resort of Samui, killing the chief pilot and trapping 68 passengers.

Director-general of the Department of Civil Aviation, Kanikka Kemawutanod said that the co-pilot and six others were injured after the Bangkok Airways flight landed in stormy weather and hit the airport's old tower.

Kannikka said that the seven were hospitalized while others just sustained bruises and shock. "They are resting at hotels before they are transferred to Bangkok," she said.

"Initial reports indicated that the weather was bad with heavy rain and wind. We do not know what the pilot did or did not do that led to the incident at this point and I would rather not speculate," she added.

Major Colonel Sayan Sartsri of the Thai police said: “The heavy damage was at the front of the plane where the pilot was. It looks like he suffered from the impact," He also said, "We still have a few people stuck in the middle of the plane, waiting to be evacuated."

Puttipong Prasartthong-Osoth, managing director of Bangkok Airways, said the foreign passengers included nationals of Italy, Spain, Switzerland, France, Germany and Great Britain.

OneIndia News