One-2-Go OG269 Jet Crashes At Phuket International Airport

[thaiphoon]

'Deaths' in jet crash fireball

From CNN Website: Updated 4 minutes ago ...

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) -- A One-To-Go Airlines jet crashed and was engulfed in flames as it attempted to land in heavy rain at the Phuket airport in southern Thailand on Sunday, authorities said.

Maj. Gen. Deecha Butnamphet, police chief in Phuket, said on local television station TITV that "we believe that there are many people who are dead. We are taking the dead and injured out from the scene.

"The airplane is completely destroyed and inflamed," he said.

It wasn't immediately known how many people were on board, though TITV said without citing sources that 123 mostly foreign tourists were the passengers, which was traveling from Bangkok to Phuket, a popular resort area for tourists.

TITV reported 60 dead, but Chaisak Angsuwan, director general of the Air Transport Authority of Thailand, could not confirm that.

Angsuwan told The Associated Press by telephone he believes "there are people dead, but the number is still unclear."

Earlier, Angsuwan had told TITV that there was heavy rain when One-To-Go airlines flight OG269 from Bangkok to Phuket attempted to make a landing. One-To-Go, a budget airline, is owned Orient Thai Airways.

"The visibility was poor as the pilot attempted to land. He decided to make a go-around but the plane lost balance and crashed. It was torn into two parts," he said

[Briggsy]

A survivor now speaking on the Nation is saying the plane flew almost directly into the mountain and seemed to be attempting to abort the landing. Most people on the plane were foreigners. No warnings or announcements were given.

[trigger571]

According to Retuers, only 20 survivors taken to hospital, 7 of which were foreign. Some very badly burnt

[eagleflyinghigh]

I aways afraid to fly with them. I have seen them cannibalizing Boeing planes at U-tapao airport. And the fact that children are working in one two go and Air Asia do not help the survival rate either. rather pay double with Thai.

123 aboard, according the BBC most people have been killed.

Only investigation will show if it is pilot error or / and mechanical failure (manufacturer, maintenance or age related). Our thoughts should be with the victims and their families.

However you are right about being uneasy with Orient Thai / One to Go, just read http://www.airlinequality.com/Forum/orient_thai.htm. On the other side I would not put Air Asia with a young fleet in the same basket.

We all may have to pay the price for wanting to travel more often, cheaper and more far away.

[birago23]

The airline was formerly known as Cambodian International Airlines. Orient Thai ceased scheduled operations on 9 January 1998, but continues to operate charter services on behalf of Kampuchea Airlines. Scheduled operations have since been restarted. It is wholly owned by private Thai shareholders and has 820 employees (at March 2007). Orient Thai wholly owns One-Two-GO Airlines and has a 49% stake in Kampuchea Airlines

Source Wikipedia.

SCARY!

[Weho]

CNN just reported 60 dead... looks like only Thailand's channel 11 is covering the story at the moment.

[Briggsy]

67 Thais, 56 foreigners were on the passenger list.

[thaiphoon]

(Bangkok Post) - A One-To-Go Airlines passenger jet with 128 people aboard crashed and broke in two while landing at Phuket Airport in foul weather late Sunday afternoon. Rescue workers said the death toll could be high.

The plane of the budget airline skidded off the runway after landing and crashed into trees, bursting into fire, said Channel 7 TV.

Initial reports estimated that at least 60 passengers died in the fiery accident. But there was hope there were survivors.

"The fire was throughout the aeroplane," said Phuket Deputy Governor Worraphot Ratsrimaa. "We expect that at least 90 per cent of the passengers died."

"The plane was landing and slid off the runway. We are rescuing people and carrying injured people to hospitals," said Pol Lt Sokchai Limcharoen, a police officer in the area in an early report.

Chaisak Angsuwan, director general of the Air Transport Authority of Thailand said the aircraft broke in two as it attempted to land at Phuket airport in bad weather.

Chaisak told TITV that there was heavy rain when flight OG269 of parent Orient Thai Airways traveling from Bangkok's Don Muang airport to Phuket attempted to make a landing. Planes in both Orient Thai and One-Two-Go livery use the OG flight identifier.

"The visibility was poor as the pilot attempted to land. He decided to make a go-around but the plane lost balance and crashed,". he said. "The plane then fell onto the runway and broke into two. It is expected that there will be deaths.

"The airplane asked to land but due to the weather in Phuket -strong wind and heavy rain -maybe the pilot did not see the runway clearly," said Chaisak.

Witnesses said the airline was using its usual MD-82 twin-engine passenger jet aircraft, a model of the McDonnell-Douglas DC9. One-Two-Go owned seven such planes, which it used for frequent flights around Thailand, including six each day from Bangkok to Phuket and return.

Airport officials and rescue workers are still working to help the victims from the plane which caught fire after it crashlanded and skidded off the runway.

Authorities said there were 123 passengers and five crew members on board when the plane crashed at about 3:35pm Sunday afternoon.

Weather in Phuket has been bad for several days, with thunderstorms and high wind gusts at times.

------------------------------------------------------------

Live pictures on Thai TV Channel 9 at the moment

[Weho]

As we often see in Thailand, many traveler's are only wearing shorts, sandals and tank tops... in a plane in a fire, skin burns first and fast. It is always advisable to wear long pants, real shoes... in a fire situation, it will give you a few precious seconds MORE than those with exposed skins... it might save one's life.

[Mid]

Most believed dead in Thai plane crash: report

Sun Sep 16, 2007 7:28 AM EDT

BANGKOK (Reuters) - More than 90 percent of the 123 passengers and an unknown number of crew were killed on Sunday when a Thai airliner crashed on the Thai resort island of Phuket, Deputy Governor Vorapot Rajsima said.

"The casualties should be higher than 90 percent. I'm at the airport and the plane is still smoking," he told Channel 9 television.

(Updates death toll, adds details)

BANGKOK, Sept 16 (Reuters) - A budget Thai airliner carrying 123 passengers and several crew crashed on landing at the resort island of Phuket in driving rain on Sunday, killing as many as 90 percent of people on board, Phuket's deputy governor said.

"The casualties should be higher than 90 percent. I'm at the airport and the plane is still smoking," Vorapot Rajsima told Channel 9 television.

Chaisak Chai-arkad, a senior airport official in Bangkok, told Thai radio that the One-Two-Go flight from Bangkok had broken in two on impact. TV images showed a crumpled fuselage.

"The first part of the plane is dug into the ground. The tail section is stuck on the runway," he told Thai radio.

Amid confusion about the number of killed, Phuket's mayor, Anchalee Vanich Thepabutr, said that she had seen more than 50 bodies taken from the wreckage and moved to the terminal's cargo buildings.

However, Anchalee said 20 survivors had been taken to hospital.

The flight to the Andaman sea paradise isle, which was hit by the Dec. 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, was known to be carrying foreign holiday-makers.

One radio station said seven foreign survivors were among those taken to nearby hospitals.

Edited September 16, 2007 by Mid

[laidback]

There seems to be some sort of incident at Phuket Airport. Our staff went to collect a customer but all cars are being turned around outside of the airpoirt and there are police and ambulances all over the place. Our guy saw some people carrying children to ambulances.

We're only 600 metres from the airport but heard nothing. But there has been some very bad rain, so it's possible that a plane skidded on landing.

But no hard details yet. I'll try to see what I can find out.

Simon

PS - A friend who works at the airport says that a OnetoGo plane skidded on landing in the rainy weather.

The news I got from international news service.. 100+have perished. mostly foreigners coming for vacation. Not good. Reports say that visibility was poor upon landing. Pilot tried to abort landing but plane lost balance and crashed.

Hope this helps.

Prayers for all involved.

[Bates]

Reported and for sure to be discussed on the aviation forum !

ORIENT THAI AIRLINES - 12GO PLANE CRASHES ON LANDING AT PHUKET AIRPORT

http://world-airliner.com/smf/index.php?topic=227.0

[simon43]

I've just got back from the airport (picking up some hotel guests who were due to fly out tonight but cannot now because the airport is closed).

They are still allowing people into the departures section upstairs, but I don't know why because I cannot see them opening the airport tonight.

My hotel is almost full now, but if others arrive then they can all sleep in the restaurant (free of course!)

Simon

[pauleddy]

We flew 12Go BKK to Krabi about 6 weeks ago.

The plane looked and felt over 30 years old. I think it was either an old Boeing or maybe even a McDonnell-Douglas. The seats were very tightly packed together. The staff tried their best, but they seemed quite young and inexperienced.

It was cheap, though! About 2000b to Krabi, maybe 1800.

Deepest sympathies go out to the families.

PEd

[cuddleypete]

Terrible news.

[TAWP]

The homelands news reports that 2 Swedish youths* survived (was first to the door and had to fight off other passengers to be able to open it(?)). They are in the hospital now and been talking to some journalists over phone.

Their statement say that it was an aborted landing gone wrong. The pilot tried to do another go-around by pulling up and increasing gas but instead ended up crashing 'outside the runway'.

Survivors named as Christoffer Marken, 25, and Erik Nilén, unkown age.

Edited September 16, 2007 by TAWP

[crudy21]

Horrible news indeed, my thoughts are with those who have lost their lives, the injured and their families.

[joskydive]

newasia are saying 90% have died in this accident.

My heartfelt condolences to all of those involved.

[thaiphoon]

From BBC News website

[garro]

Just seen the news on ITV.

They are saying 90% dead.

Very sad.

I hope families are given information quickly.

[Weho]

CNN just reported, again, 60 dead... and they aired some rescue footage. Flight 269 One Two Go, Bangkok/Phuket.

a CNN AP witness on the ground said the plane was on fire in the inside. 123 passengers and 5 crew on board, per CNN.

The witness said the rain was extreamly strong at the time, with gusting winds. The witness said he was on a plane arriving just before the crashed flight, and said his flight had a very rough landing.

[taxexile]

Son of survivors tells how his parents escape from plane

A man and his wife survived a crash of a One-To-Go flight at the Phuket airport on Saturday after they jumped through a broken window before it caught fire.

Their son, Thanawat Fongsrisin, gave the accounts of his father and mother, Nong and Ladda. Thanawat was waiting at the Phuket airport to receive his parents when the plane crashed.

Nong Khaonual sustained injuries and now received hospital treatments while his mother Ladda suffered a head injury after both jumped on the runway.

Both persons were at Siriroj Hospital.

Thanawat said his father had maintained his self control after the aircraft crash and took his wife to a broken window and jumped through it shortly before it caught fire.

Thanawat said his parents came to Phuket to visit his pregnant wife who is due to delivery the baby next month.

the nation

[Briggsy]

For those requiring passenger information, an emergency phone number of 1126 has just been released.

[lazeeboy]

Just seen the news on ITV.

They are saying 90% dead.

Very sad.

I hope families are given information quickly.

coming thru titv 61 dead bodies ,21 hospital ,40 missing , terrible news my thoughts are with everyone ,tourist include england ,australia ,isreal ,ital y ,sweden ,news being updated every few minutes.....

[garro]

Irish guy 'John" interviewed on ITV

Badly burnt

Friend in theatre also badly burnt

Row 19

Plane circled around airport

They could feel something wrong with plane.

Escaped via wing.

Plane on fire.

[gazzz]

we flew with this same airline same type of plane last year and has an aborted take off was skidding and came to a stop at the end of the runway

everybody was pretty shaken up and i never got back on the plane

Im glad i didnt now !

[TAWP]

Foto: EPA/Scanpix

[lazeeboy]

Irish guy 'John" interviewed on ITV

Badly burnt

Friend in theatre also badly burnt

Row 19

Plane circled around airport

They could feel something wrong with plane.

Escaped via wing.

Plane on fire.

itv reporting 43 survivors at the monent ,many in surgery

[birago23]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/

Video of the crash site just in...

[macb]

Okay folks heres a news link from CNN

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/09/1...h.ap/index.html