Trip Forums
 
About Us Gallery Register FAQ Calendar Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read
 

Go Back   Trip Forums > Travel Discussion > Travel News & Weather > News


Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 09-16-2007, 10:11 AM   #1
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 3,129
Default Scores killed in Thai plane crash


At least 87 people have died after a budget airliner crashed after landing in heavy rain at the Thai holiday resort of Phuket, officials say.

The aircraft slipped off the runway and exploded into flames. It was carrying 123 passengers - most of them foreigners - and seven crew.

About 40 people escaped the burning wreckage and were taken to hospital.
Flight OG 269, operated by airline One-Two-Go, had flown to Phuket from the Thai capital, Bangkok.

Officials say at least 87 people were confirmed dead after the plane skidded off the runway in strong winds and driving rain on Sunday.

A French tourist aboard a plane behind the one that crashed told AFP news agency she saw the accident happen.

"When the plane landed it caught fire," she said. "We could see the fire coming out of it."

Phuket Deputy Governor Worapot Ratthaseema said 42 people had been taken to hospital.

More than half the passengers were reported to be foreigners.
Hospital officials told AFP news agency that those injured included nationals from Australia, Austria, Britain, Iran, Ireland, Italy and the Netherlands.

Aborted landing?
There was an explosion and a fire as the McDonnell Douglas MD-82 landed.
Survivor Parinwit Chusaeng told Thai TV: "I saw passengers engulfed in fire as I stepped over them on the way out of the plane.

"I was afraid that the airplane was going to explode, so I ran away."
Both pilots are said to be among the survivors.

Rescue operations are under way at the airport and doctors are being flown to Phuket to treat the injured.


The flight, en route from Bangkok, was approaching Phuket airport when the pilot asked to abort the landing, an aviation official told Thai television.
"The control tower allowed it but the aircraft fell to the runway and the body broke," he said.

One-Two-Go is one of Thailand's first budget airlines.

It was set up in December 2003 as a subsidiary of Orient Thai Airways, and services domestic routes.

This is Thailand's deadliest aviation accident since December 1998, when 101 people were killed after a Thai Airways crashed on landing near another southern resort.

(BBC)

Attached Images
File Type: jpg _44119476_ap_aircrash203.jpg (11.9 KB, 4 views)
__________________

John is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-19-2007, 10:59 AM   #2
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 12,586
Default

**Update

Systems to check for a dangerous weather condition were faulty at the time of Sunday's devastating air crash at Phuket airport, Thai officials say.

Some of the airport's wind shear alert systems were not working properly, said aviation official Vutichai Singhamany.

Investigators have said wind shear - a sudden change in either wind speed or direction - was among the possible causes of the crash.

Officials in Phuket are still working to identify the victims of the crash.

At least 89 people were killed when the plane, operated by budget airline One-Two-Go, skidded off the runway.

Many foreigners were on the flight.

Eighteen Iranians are known to have died, and Britain's Foreign Secretary David Miliband has confirmed that eight Britons were also killed.

The French foreign ministry has said that four French victims have been formally identified.

A specialist team from the French police will leave for Thailand on Wednesday to identify a further five victims believed to be French citizens.

Full casualty figures from other nations have yet to be confirmed.

The plane's flight recorders have been recovered. An investigation is under way into the cause of the crash.

There are reports that the pilot was warned of dramatic wind shear at the airport before he tried to land.

But Mr Vuttichai said that problems with the alert systems could have made it difficult for the pilot to judge whether it was safe to land.

Of the 130 people on board, only 41 are known to have escaped the burning wreckage.

All of the victims' bodies have now been removed from the aircraft and officials are trying to determine their names and nationalities.

The police chief overseeing the site, Maj Gen Santhan Chayanon, said 57 foreigners were believed to be among the dead.

"All 32 Thai victims have been identified and of the foreigners, 21 have been identified and autopsies have been carried out on the other 36, and we are waiting for relatives to help identify them," he told AFP news agency.

Survivors of the crash are recovering in hospitals on the holiday island.

They have described how the plane, a McDonnell Douglas MD-82 travelling from Bangkok, skidded off the runway and smashed into an embankment.

The aircraft broke up and burst into flame. Many survivors spoke of seeing other passengers on fire as they struggled to escape through emergency exits.

"There was fire in the cabin, my clothes caught fire, my trousers," said Australian Robert Borland.

"I was able to drag myself across to the other side, which is where the exit row was. A person was able to assist me, drag me out of the aircraft."

Aviation officials have said that the pilot received permission to abort the landing - in heavy rain and high winds - just before he crashed.

Another official told Reuters news agency said that two aircraft which landed before the One-Two-Go flight had reported serious wind shear - something which the pilot would have overheard.

But on Monday Transport Minister Theera Haocharoen said it was too early to determine what had happened.

"The officials have found the black boxes [flight recorders] and will send them for analysis to the United States," he said. "Hopefully, we will learn in a few weeks the cause of accident."

One-Two-Go is one of Thailand's many budget airlines.

It was set up in December 2003 as a subsidiary of Orient Thai Airways, and flies domestic routes.

This is Thailand's deadliest aviation accident since December 1998, when 101 people were killed after a Thai Airways plane crashed on landing near another southern resort.

KNOWN CRASH FATALITIES
US: At least 4
Iran: 18 confirmed
Australia: 1
UK: 8
France: 4 confirmed
Sweden: 1
Indonesia: 1 (pilot)
Germany: 1

(BBC)
Ally is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply



Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 04:44 AM.

 
 
 
 

Powered by vBulletin. Copyright ©2000 - 2009, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
LinkBacks Enabled by vBSEO 3.1.0

© 2006 - 2008 Trip Forums | About Trip Forums | Legal | A member of the Crowdgather Forum Community