BREAKING NEWS Police Aircraft Crashes Into Sea Off Cha-am, Leaving Four Dead

[Georgealbert]

 

Pictures from responders.

 

An incident unfolded off the coast of Cha-am on the morning of 25 April, when a small police aircraft crashed into the sea, resulting in the deaths of four individuals and injuring one more.

 

At approximately 08:15, Phetchaburi’s Emergency Response Centre 191 received a report from a member of the public alerting authorities to a light aircraft that had plunged into the sea, about 100 metres offshore in front of the Baby Grand Resort in Cha-am district. Police from Cha-am station, including the Huai Sai Tai patrol unit, were immediately dispatched to the scene.

 

 

Rescue units found the wreckage of a small aircraft partially submerged, with multiple casualties inside. Emergency medical teams rushed to the site to assist and transport the injured to a nearby hospital. One person was reported seriously injured, while five others were confirmed deceased at the scene.

 

 

Initial reports indicate that the aircraft, believed to be operated by the police, C/S RTP964 DHC6 aircraft had taken off from Hua Hin Airport on a TEST FLIGHT mission and after a technical issue, ended up in the sea. Authorities have yet to confirm the cause of the crash and are currently gathering witness statements and evidence from the scene.

The operation to recover the aircraft and fully investigate the incident is ongoing, made more difficult by the location of the wreckage offshore.

 

 

  Adapted by Asean Now from Daily News 2025-04-25.

 

 

 

[Tropicalevo]

[Georgealbert]

UPDATE
Thai media sources are now reporting that the death toll is now 5 with 1 survivor.

 

Bystanders captured the moment the plane crash.

 

 

The aircraft involved.

 

Viking DHC-6 Twin Otter, 6.4 years old, produced in Canada and operated by the Royal Thai Police since October 2020, having been operated by IKHANA Aircraft Services, previously from May 2020. Aircraft registration 36964.

[Georgealbert]

UPDATE
Royal Thai Police Statement Confirm 6 Dead

 

The Police plane crashed after taking off at approximately 08:00, during a reported test flight, preparing for later parachuting training, in Hua Hin District, Prachuap Khiri Khan Province.

 

All 6 officers onboard died.

 

1. Pol. Lt. Col. Panathep Maniwachirangkun (pilot) died.

2. Police Lieutenant Thanawat Mekprasitsuk (Engineer) died.

3. Police Lieutenant Chaturong Wattanapraisan, the pilot, was injured and taken to Hua Hin Hospital. He later died at the hospital.

4. Police Senior Sergeant Major Prawit Phonhongsa, (mechanic) died.

5. Police Senior Sergeant Major Jiravat Maksakha, (mechanic) died.

6. Pol. Col. Prathan Khiawkham, (pilot) died.

 

 

 

 
Flight over the crash scene.

 

[Tropicalevo]

[JoePai]

Could not pull out of the spin ?

[factual monk]

R.I.P... deep condolences 🙏 

[chilli42]

I am not a pilot so no judgement here. I thought these small propeller driven planes had a large amount of glide factor. Such that they could at least make a horizontal landing. This plane is going down at 90 degrees. Now I will have to find some other myth to console myself when flying in small aircraft.

[Baba Naba]

Hmmm... Why in the water? They could not attempt a beach landing?

[hotchilli]

1 hour ago, JoePai said:

Could not pull out of the spin ?

6 people on a test flight ?

[Watawattana]

RIP.  Very sad.

[josephbloggs]

7 minutes ago, Baba Naba said:

Hmmm... Why in the water? They could not attempt a beach landing?

Did you not even bother looking at the post? The are images and a video of it crashing nose first at 90 degrees. How the hell would they have landed it on a beach when it was clearly completely out of control?

[craighj]

12 minutes ago, chilli42 said:

I am not a pilot so no judgement here. I thought these small propeller driven planes had a large amount of glide factor. Such that they could at least make a horizontal landing. This plane is going down at 90 degrees. Now I will have to find some other myth to console myself when flying in small aircraft.

Twin engine as well, so a major instant failure I would think?  RIP

[orchidfan]

2 minutes ago, chilli42 said:

I am not a pilot so no judgement here. I thought these small propeller driven planes had a large amount of glide factor. Such that they could at least make a horizontal landing. This plane is going down at 90 degrees. Now I will have to find some other myth to console myself when flying in small aircraft.

That's the case when everything (except the engine maybe) is functioning normally!

DCH Twin Otters ars very robust and quite difficult to stall, but not impossible, especially if there are control problems and/or malfunction.

 

The vertical dive into the water certainly appears ti be from an out of control spiral dive / stall.

 

And WHY so many people on a "test" flight in an aircraft with reported "technical problems"??

 

#commercial pilot and,one time, aircraft owner.

[Hammerheads]

@chilli42 Does seem very odd that the plane is in a vertical nosedive. If we are to fully believe the video, the engines appear to be working, flaps are flat, tail assembly all looks in tact. Strange one this.

[Chongalulu]

A commercial pilot friend said to me when I asked isn't a twin engine small aircraft safer when there's an engine failure? " When one engine fails the remaining engine takes you to the crash site..."

[Baba Naba]

12 minutes ago, josephbloggs said:

Did you not even bother looking at the post? The are images and a video of it crashing nose first at 90 degrees. How the hell would they have landed it on a beach when it was clearly completely out of control?

Yes I read the post before there was an added update which had the videos and photos of the angle of the crash.  Now I see why...

[BKKBike09]

10 minutes ago, orchidfan said:

That's the case when everything (except the engine maybe) is functioning normally!

DCH Twin Otters ars very robust and quite difficult to stall, but not impossible, especially if there are control problems and/or malfunction.

 

The vertical dive into the water certainly appears ti be from an out of control spiral dive / stall.

 

And WHY so many people on a "test" flight in an aircraft with reported "technical problems"??

 

#commercial pilot and,one time, aircraft owner.

 

Crazy to have so many people on first flight post some seemingly significant maintenance (reports a/c was grounded at Hua Hin for a couple of days before this flight).

 

I'm going for RH engine failure after take off, failure to pitch for / maintain min control speed, stall / spin to the right (into the dead engine) and not enough altitude to recover. In the video clip it looks like the rotation was stopped just before impact.

 

RIP.

 

[orchidfan]

Wonder what height abve the water he was?

Am guessinga few hundred feet? (100m?)

[josephbloggs]

6 minutes ago, Baba Naba said:

Yes I read the post before there was an added update which had the videos and photos of the angle of the crash.  Now I see why...

Ok, fair enough. Just so often people here make judgements based on a headline and without reading the article...

[Jack Hammer]

Pilot may of had a medical episode, or possibly he decided to end it all

RIP

[Georgealbert]

11 minutes ago, Baba Naba said:

Yes I read the post before there was an added update which had the videos and photos of the angle of the crash.  Now I see why...

Sorry, but the update, showing the picture of the aircraft and the video was posted over two and a half hours before your comment.

[Bigwave12]

1 hour ago, JoePai said:

Could not pull out of the spin ?

Evidently not. Dumb post since 6 souls are dead

[TheFishman1]

I think the right of the article probably made a mistake with that many people are bored I don’t believe it was a test flight as a pilot and an owner of an airplane I believe they have to do a full investigation to find out what caused his accident saying that TIT 

[Tug]

My condolences to the Thai nation and to the victims families a sad incident without more information it looks like a classic stall spin in….sad 

[Blueman1]

R.I.P To ALL Concerned......

[orchidfan]

18 minutes ago, BKKBike09 said:

 

Crazy to have so many people on first flight post some seemingly significant maintenance (reports a/c was grounded at Hua Hin for a couple of days before this flight).

 

I'm going for RH engine failure after take off, failure to pitch for / maintain min control speed, stall / spin to the right (into the dead engine) and not enough altitude to recover. In the video clip it looks like the rotation was stopped just before impact.

 

RIP.

 

I'm the last clip, just before vertical impact the RH engine appears to be turning? Definitely not feathered ?

Low altitude, no time to do anything really.

Horizontal stabilizer "appears" to be in full, nose up position?

Desperate final actions?

 

A good accident investigation team will piece it together quickly, given the wreckage and photos/videos.

[Georgealbert]

UPDATE
Pilot Hailed a Hero After Steering Failing Aircraft into the Sea to Avoid Civilian Casualties & is Now Reported to be Alive

 

 

A Thai police pilot has been praised for his extraordinary bravery after successfully diverting a malfunctioning aircraft away from a residential area and into the sea, avoiding what could have been a catastrophic tragedy for local civilians.

 

The incident occurred near Bo Fai Airport in Hua Hin, Prachuap Khiri Khan Province, when a police aircraft from the Royal Thai Police Aviation Division experienced a critical malfunction. Initial reports suggest that the plane was veering towards a populated area, prompting the pilot to make a last-second decision to steer it out over the sea.

 

Pol. Gen. Kittirat Phanphet, the National Police Chief, arrived at the scene shortly after the crash, accompanied by Provincial Governor Sitthichai Sawatsan, Lt. Gen. Nitinan Langyanai, Commander of the Border Patrol Police, and other senior officials from aviation and forensic units. They collectively honoured the fallen officers and paid tribute to the pilot’s selfless actions.

Further to the earlier Police statement, it is now reported that the crash only claimed the lives of five skilled officers onboard and injured one, who is identified as Pol. Lt. Col. Jaturong Watthanapraisarn, the pilot, who miraculously survived. He is currently receiving treatment at Hua Hin Hospital, where doctors report he sustained multiple facial fractures and a punctured lung requiring chest drainage. Crucially, he shows no signs of brain injury. Plans are in place to transfer him to the Police General Hospital in Bangkok if necessary

 

.

 

Authorities have launched a full investigation into the cause of the crash. A special committee and forensic team will examine all aspects of the incident. Recovery efforts are underway, with the Police Aviation Division, Marine Police, and Border Patrol Police collaborating to lift the wreckage from the sea within the next day, ensuring no evidence is lost or damaged.

 

Meanwhile, arrangements are being made to repatriate the bodies of the deceased for religious ceremonies. Families of both the victims and the injured are being closely supported, and the Police Chief has pledged full welfare assistance and a dignified funeral for the fallen officers.

 

“This is a tragic loss of highly skilled personnel, but their sacrifice undoubtedly saved many civilian lives,” said Gen. Kittirat. “We will ensure justice, accountability, and above all, honour their memory with the utmost respect.”

 

The airport on google maps, end of the runway can be seen in the video below.

 

 

  Adapted by Asean Now from Khoasod 2025-04-25.

 

 

 

 

[jvs]

Yesterday i saw a similar airplane fly over a few times.

Was it the same plane?

Sounded like it was going in a circle a few times,maybe it was being tested?

[Purdey]

RIP