Policeman falls to death from helicopter on Bangkok's Vibhavadi Road

[Morch]

Bit old for that type of carry on. RIP

Having done chopper rescue using a harness for offshore work, I am struggling to see how he fell out the harness

Harness not put on correctly, not all safeties checked.

Harness not passing safety checks, or just plain old.

Wince operator/pilot/co-pilot/the deceased inexperienced, not paying proper attention, thinks he's in a war movie.

Training profile unsafe, training profile changed during mission without proper preparation.

Safety isn't a priority in this country. Regulations are merely advices to be ignored when uncomfortable.

Besides....<deleted> happens, if it was easy or 100% safe, everyone would do it.

Also, wouldn't take the Thai news coverage as gospel - the guy was riot/crowd control officer, not sure if it is their job to aerial rescues, and 50 is a bit past one's prime for that.

[Basil B]

was the harness made in Thailand ?

I would have more confidence than if it were made in China.

[Commander Tamson]

Maybe the rope snapped or the winch failed. The report doesn't actually say that he fell from the harness. You wouldn't normally have your arms stretched out as he had if you were in a controlled drop and the photo definitely shows the rope still attached [to him]

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Patje]

Bit old for that type of carry on. RIP

Having done chopper rescue using a harness for offshore work, I am struggling to see how he fell out the harness

safety first is a sticker in Thailand

[Patje]

safety first is a sticker in Thailand

[CDNinKS]

If he was attached to an approved a/c winch then both the pilot and winchman has the ability to guillotine the cable in an emergency situation. The switches are normally safe in so much as it takes 2 distinct functions to cut the cable.

Will be interesting to see if anyone actually admits fault....

[Somtamnication]

So who controls the harness release? The crew or the person in the harness? How is it the crew's fault?

[CDNinKS]

Where exactly did I say it was the crews fault??? I said "Will be interesting to see if anyone actually admits fault"

If it was an approved harness then there really is no "release" It has to be purposely un-clipped and that can only be done once safely on the ground.

Please note my use of the word "if" in my posts......

[webfact]

Officer dies from fall out of a helicopter
Monthien Inthaket
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- A POLICEMAN succumbed to serious injuries sustained from a fall from a helicopter onto inbound Vibhavadi Road in Bangkok's Chatuchak district yesterday during an air-rescue rehearsal. Pol Snr Sgt-Major Monchai Boonpairoj, 52, was pronounced dead at Kasemrad Hospital Prachachuen at 1.30pm.

The drill, held by Provincial Police Region 1 and Police Aviation Division, involved two helicopters, each of which had four police officers onboard, explained Provincial Police Region 1 chief Pol Lt-General Nares Nathachote, who later visited the injured officer in hospital.

Citing an initial report, Nares said during the rehearsal, Monchai's leg got entangled with a sling while onboard before he fell out of the helicopter near the Vibhavadi-Rangsit traffic police station. Nares has instructed a fact-finding committee to investigate what happened and what caused this fall.

Monchai's body was transferred to the Institute of Forensic Medicine at Police General Hospital for autopsy.


-- The Nation 2014-04-24

[CDNinKS]

So now they are saying he fell out of the helicopter? Not fell from the winch cable?

Safety protocols are the doors should never be opened unless all crew are harnessed and attached to either the winch cable or aircraft hard points.

[DGS1244]

Man made 'Accident' caused by Amatures.

[firefox999uk]

Bit old for that type of carry on. RIP

I used to hang of buildings at 50 years old...why....because rope rescue was part

of my job and people needed saving....Once again seems like no safety precautions in operation.

RIP

[dotpoom]

Bit old for that type of carry on. RIP

Having done chopper rescue using a harness for offshore work, I am struggling to see how he fell out the harness

The way I read it was that the harness itself was dropped to the ground in a sudden manner....May he RIP.

[bra]

Although not the same conditions as those in the accident to this policeman, an injured hiker recently fell to his death out of the rescue harness while being winched by the Victorian Ambulance Helicopter crew not far from Melbourne. The large and heavy patient was being winched in a double lift extraction with the helicopter paramedic, who initially wrapped his arms and legs round the patient who was also in a strop, which is the usual practice.

The site was steep and heavily forested, and the helicopter was about 80 ft above the ground, 20 ft above the tree canopy. On the way up the rescue harness passed through some light foliage, and the paramedic had to remove his arms from holding the patient to fend off the branches. However the winching continued but the winch crewman noticed that the patient was slipping from the strop, and as the patient reached the level of the helicopter the crewman tried to hold him but he slipped completely from the strop and fell to the ground.

This was a professional medevac crew who were very experienced in what they were doing – but even then things can go terribly wrong. The initial investigation report can be seen on the Australian Transportation Safety Bureau (ATSB) web site. I hope that the accident to the policeman is investigated to a similar level of detail. The worst thing that can come out of an aircraft accident is for the cause not to be determined and a recurrence not prevented.

[tomyummer]

Darn harness, made in China!

[Carl64]

This is why I don't bother learning Thai . Even they can't communicate properly ! What chance will I have?

[Rorri]

smutcakes, on 23 Apr 2014 - 16:09, said:

Bluespunk, on 23 Apr 2014 - 16:09, said:

"For now the cause of death is being blamed on miscommunication between Monchai and the helicopter crew"

​How would a miscommunication cause him to fall out of a supposedly secure harness?

Are the retrieve/release words similar in Thai?

I don't know about Thailand, they seem to do things the Thai way, but usually it is the officer/rescuer who releases themselves, not the helicopter crew.

[lucjoker]

Very sad that a man who may have a wife and children should die for no reason.

My condolences to his loved ones.

He did die for a reason ,the reason is the same as all traffic deaths .

"thinking" nothing can happen to you is not the same as "being save",it is just plain stupid thinking.

[schondie]

RIP officer.

I apologise in advance but the first thought that came into my head was "When pigs fly".

[Rorri]

Commander Tamson, on 24 Apr 2014 - 01:00, said:

Maybe the rope snapped or the winch failed. The report doesn't actually say that he fell from the harness. You wouldn't normally have your arms stretched out as he had if you were in a controlled drop and the photo definitely shows the rope still attached [to him]

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

From a photo you can not tell if he is in fact falling,being winched down or suspended.

[Rorri]

Basil B, on 24 Apr 2014 - 00:15, said:

surangw, on 23 Apr 2014 - 21:26, said:

was the harness made in Thailand ?

I would have more confidence than if it were made in China.

All safety equipment should pass recognised safety standards, no matter where they are made.

[media]

(with sympathy) A tough lesson learned they clearly were not in a fit state to rescue anyone, Imagine if he fell with the person he was supposed to be rescuing as well ! - shouldn't they be practicing over water while they master these moves?

[mrowe1973]

"For now the cause of death is being blamed on miscommunication between Monchai and the helicopter crew"

​How would a miscommunication cause him to fall out of a supposedly secure harness?

Are the retrieve/release words similar in Thai?

"OK, when you want us to release you and pull the harness up, just yell 'Yok', ... If you have a problem and need to abort, yell 'Yok lerk'. Got it?".

YOK .. leeeerrrrrkkkkk ....

"yok" or "yok kheun" for retrieve/pull up and "ploy" for release. "Yok lerk" means cancel. There are other words which can be used as well. In any case, retrieve/release are NOT similar words in Thai - and like English, Thai is a language with quite a bit of subtlety (less than English, but you will still find a large array of words with similar meaning to describe any number of situations/circumstances).

In general, certain jargon is applied to specific situations/industries in Thai just as in English. For example, "mayday" in English to indicate a sense of immediate urgency on an aircraft or ship; "pan pan pan" for a critical situation that is not yet deemed an emergency. While there are dozens of other words that could be used instead, not using industry specific jargon can lead to misunderstandings and possibly serious consequences. Perhaps this was one of these cases.

True but everyone should know someone dangling in the air from a helicopeter is not going to use the word release in any language. I'm not buying the communication error!

[Dibbler]

This and other public demonstrations of inefficiency and calamity show the low level of skill and high risk to the public from the so-called emergency services. Hopefully the lessons learnt for the government is that better training and equipment, and attention to safety regulations is required. For the public the lesson is never to trust the government in an emergency situation where lives are at risk. That's not to suggest the privately run emergency services in Thailand are any safer or more efficient!

[empireboy]

Sad story for the family and friends. RIP.

It's always good to remember.... we're not in a 1st world country!

[tracker1]

SAD so many avoidable incidences happening here A little more care, attention and knowledge needed I think. RIP

[fabphil]

All these accidents recently only go to show how disorganized and unprofessional the systems and people in charge are here. You are put in charge of something here because of who you know, not for what you know or can do. And keeping your position is based on who is in power and not on how you or those under you perform.

No legal reforms will address this. And even if laws are made to remedy this, they will just be ignored whenever convenient like so many are everyday. Reforms need to happen to the Thai mindset and mentality more so than the laws.

Too right mate...

[sirchai]

He died at Kasemrad Hospital about an hour later.

I hope he died on the spot to release his soul to a better place. Rest in peace, too young to die, not too old for Rock N' Roll.-

[connda]

dwcrist, on 23 Apr 2014 - 17:14, said:

All these accidents recently only go to show how disorganized and unprofessional the systems and people in charge are here. You are put in charge of something here because of who you know, not for what you know or can do. And keeping your position is based on who is in power and not on how you or those under you perform.

No legal reforms will address this. And even if laws are made to remedy this, they will just be ignored whenever convenient like so many are everyday. Reforms need to happen to the Thai mindset and mentality more so than the laws.

Agreed

Edited April 24, 2014 by connda

[exalll]

Sad story for the family and friends. RIP.

It's always good to remember.... we're not in a 1st world country!

If you check in Wikipedia, we ARE in a 1st World country.