Banglamung—
At 9:00 AM, on January 13th, 2024, the Sawang Boriboon Foundation Rescue Unit in Pattaya received a report of a light aircraft crashing into a rice field in the Ban Na area, Banglamung, Chonburi. There was one casualty and one critical injury reported.
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The rescue teams, Huai Yai police, The Pattaya News, and other relevant agencies were dispatched to the accident scene and found a white 2-seat light aircraft, U-H77, in severe condition, with parts scattered across the rice field.
According to a report by the police, a 51-year-old German co-pilot, publicly identified only as Mr. Christian (Last name withheld pending full family notification), was in critical condition with ankle bone fractures on both feet. After being rescued from the aircraft by a local cowherder, Christian was transferred to a nearby hospital for urgent medical treatment. Another victim was a 50-year-old Austrian pilot found dead inside the aircraft. His full name was withheld pending embassy and family notification.
The police secured the scene quickly as they were concerned that fuel leakage could cause fires.
Mr. Somit Kedae, a 64-year-old witness, reportedly told the police that he tended cows at the rice field and allegedly heard a crashing sound from afar. Somit then reported the incident to the police to investigate after finding the accident site and seeing the injured and deceased pilot and co-pilot.
Initially, the police investigated and found that at 8:30 AM, the U-H77 aircraft took off from the Eastern Flying Club in Soi Nong Kra Bok, Pattaya, Chonburi, 3 kilometers away from the crash site. Relevant agencies would further gather evidence from the scene to determine the exact cause of the accident and Mr. Christian would be interviewed upon his recovery.
Furthermore, Pattaya media reported that another unidentified light aircraft pilot reportedly said that the U-H77 took off 15 minutes before them to prepare for an air show on Children’s Day. However, the U-H77 was nowhere to be found after the other aircraft landed in Huai Yai, the unidentified pilot said to Pattaya media.
The airplane appeared to be legally flown and registered said police, and was not part of a tour group or tour company. Police stressed, however, that the situation was still developing and a full investigation on what caused the crash would need to take place and could take some time, without giving an exact timeline.
The Pattaya News will provide further updates on this story as they become available.
