Muay Thai Boxer Recounts Near-Death Experience on a Flight to Qatar

[snoop1130]

 

The Muay Thai fighter, Thananchai Sit Song Phi Nong, has detailed a horrifying experience on a Qatar Airways flight from Greece to Qatar where he and other passengers were stuck for three hours amid a fire in the aircraft. Thananchai was in Patras, Greece, attending the IFMA World Muaythai Championships.

 

Following the tournament, Thananchai and 48 Thai boxers, their team members, and athletes from various nations, boarded Qatar Airways flight QR204 from Athens to Doha. Once the passengers were seated, the plane's air conditioning and engine suddenly stopped functioning. Despite three attempts, the pilot was unable to restart the engine.

 

For around three hours, the cabin crew and airline team strived to resolve the problem without giving out much information. Passengers were kept on board until a few of them started bleeding from their noses, and others had to resort to emergency oxygen. The situation caused panic among children on board.

 

As the distress intensified, the passengers demanded to be allowed to disembark, which the crew finally agreed to. From the airport, a foreign woman filmed a video clearly showing grey smoke billowing from the aircraft's rear. Firefighting personnel attempted to extinguish the fire, unbeknownst to those on board. This video was shared among passengers, sparking concerns regarding the safety procedures adopted by the airline.

 

In an interview with ThaiRath on June 11, Thananchai expressed his disbelief at the events. "I feel lucky to have survived. Inside the aircraft, it was extremely hot. When I saw the video and all the smoke, I realized why. I was there for three hours, sweating profusely and feeling suffocated," he said.

 

While some passengers and their family members have mentioned the incident on the airline's official Facebook page, no official clarification has been provided by the airline. Thananchai competed in the championship against Constantine Shakhtarin of Russia, where he lost by a 27-30 score. The Thai boxing team clinched six gold, two silver, and four bronze medals overall.

 

File photo for reference only

 

-- 2024-06-11

 

Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

[Georgealbert]

This is the video, of the smoke at the rear, referred to in the story.

 

[Tropicalevo]

Was it a Boeing by any chance?

[BangkokReady]

Quote

Muay Thai Boxer Recounts Near-Death Experience on a Flight to Qatar

 

That is not a near-death experience.

[chippendale]

If it's Boeing, I ain't going.

[ikke1959]

And where is the near dead experience? O of course a story is made up to make it feel worse. Sensation press

[hotchilli]

Near death experience is pushing it a bit.

[simon43]

I can't see the video, just blank...

[daveAustin]

Why the laughing emoticons? People are weird. No, that is not a near death experience (unconscious/floating over one’s body etc), but sitting for hours in a plane sauna is no joke. Pilot should’ve got them off earlier. 

[roquefort]

Clickbait

[CanadaSam]

"Emergency Exits" come to mind.

 

Incapable of operating them?

 

Willing to suffer in heat and smoke instead?

 

TIT.