Fourth Army Area dismisses helicopter crash rumour in Hat Yai

The Forward Command of the Fourth Army Area on Wednesday dismissed as rumours unconfirmed reports that went viral on Thai social media, claiming a rescue helicopter had crashed in Hat Yai.

The Forward Command clarified that no helicopter had crashed during rescue operations in downtown Hat Yai, which had been devastated by massive flooding.

The Forward Command urged the public not to share unconfirmed reports or rumours. It recommended that people cross-check reports on social media with the Forward Command’s official Facebook page before sharing.

Earlier, reports had circulated stating that a helicopter had crashed in a remote area of Hat Yai, but it was unclear which agency the helicopter belonged to.

The Nation reached out to the Royal Thai Army, the Royal Thai Air Force, and the Royal Thai Police, all of which confirmed that none of their helicopters had crashed in Hat Yai.

Later, the Ministry of Agriculture explained that one of its helicopters had been deployed to deliver necessities to stranded flood victims behind Sikharin Hospital. The helicopter had flown very low to distribute supplies to people stranded on rooftops, which may have led to confusion and the rumour of a crash.