4 injured in Army chopper plunge
AN engine malfunction is believed to have caused an Army helicopter to crash in Narathiwat’s Muang district yesterday morning, with the four people on board escaping before the machine exploded.
The two pilots and two mechanics on board were injured.
Colonel Yutthanam Petchmuang, deputy spokesman for the Internal Security Operations Command Region 4’s Front Command, said the crash was still being investigated.
The accident happened at about 8.30am at the helicopter landing pad at the Narathiwat Taskforce in Tambon Khok Khian, with the helicopter spinning out of control when it was approaching to land to pick up passengers, Yutthanam said.
On board were Major Wirat Susamran, Lieutenant Sathaporn Chaiket, Master Sergeant 1st Class Thanin Mahamanee and Master Sergeant 1st Class Uthai Tampeek.
It took firefighters with three fire engines about an hour to extinguish the fire.
The helicopter departed Thaksin Ratchaniwet Palace to the Narathiwat Taskforce and had been scheduled to take 46th Ranger Regiment Commander Colonel Pisit Charnlekha and his team on an inspection trip to Narathiwat’s Chanae district.
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