Final survivor of Prachuap Khiri Khan police aircraft crash dies
The last surviving pilot from the police aircraft crash in Hua Hin district, Prachuap Khiri Khan province, passed away on Friday afternoon.
According to a Facebook post by the Royal Thai Police (RTP), Pol Capt Chaturong Watthanapraisarn died at 3.58pm following surgery to stop internal bleeding in the abdominal area.
“The Royal Thai Police salute his service and extend their deepest condolences to his family,” the post read.
At 8.15am of April 25, the RTP’s Twin Otter light aircraft, serial number 36964, crashed into the sea approximately 100 metres from the shore, near the Cha-am–Hua Hin border.
The aircraft was on a weather reconnaissance mission in preparation for a parachute training exercise for the Naresuan Paratrooper Police Unit.
The crash resulted in the immediate deaths of five officers at the scene. One officer was critically injured and transported to Hua Hin Hospital, where he was initially reported to have succumbed to his injuries.
The other five officers on board have been identified as follows:
- Pol Col Prathan Khiewkham (Pilot)
- Pol Lt Col Panthep Maneewachirankul (Pilot)
- Pol Lt Thanawat Mekprasertsuk (Engineer)
- Pol Sgt Maj Prawat Phonhongsa (Mechanic)
- Pol L/Cpl Jirawat Maksakha (Mechanic)
