Rescue teams search for Black Hawk crash victims on foot
PHETCHABURI, July 20 Some 100 Thai army soldiers began a jungle march operation to locate nine Thai soldiers who were on board the Black Hawk assault helicopter which lost contact and crashed while flying to retrieve the bodies of Saturdays helicopter crash victims in the vast 3,000 sq km Kaengkrachan National Park in western Phetchaburi province on the Myanmar border.
The national park is Thailands largest, and most isolated, and receives some of the heaviest rainfall in Thailand.
Army Chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha ordered rescue teams to move urgently on foot to reach the site where the helicopter signal disappeared from the Thai radar amid bad weather. The fate of the nine soldiers--including Maj-Gen Tawan Ruangsri, Commander of the 9th Infantry Division, remains unknown.
Earlier two rescue teams comprised of soldiers, border patrol police and national park personnel were formed to begin the search and rescue operation. One team is moving urgently to locate possible survivors on board the rescue Black Hawk, while the other team is assigned to retrieve the bodies of Saturdays crash victims.
Later some 70 soldiers from the Kanchanaburi-based 9th Infantry Division were dispatched to help locate the bodies of crash victims and possible survivors.
Thai army spokesman Col Sansern Kaewkamnerd said it could not be confirmed that the chopper had crashed in Myanmar, but the accident was likely to have occurred near the Thai-Myanmar border. The Thai army is coordinating with the Myanmar army, the Tatmadaw, which has dispatched military patrols to search for possible survivors.
Suriyon Phobandit, assistant to the director of Kaeng Krachan National Park said rescue teams started their journey at 7am Wednesday. It is expected they will reach the destination within three days due to continuous rain and dangerous heavily-forested terrain.
The crash site where the Black Hawk helicopter down is estimated to be about 15 kilometres from Panoentung mountain where the res! cue colu mn started its march.
Gen Udomdej Sitabut, Thailand's First Army Commander, on Tuesday confirmed that the Black Hawk military helicopter on mission to retrieve the bodies of five victims in Saturdays accident crashed into a mountain on Tuesday.
He said the likely cause of the accident was bad weather, including rain and strong winds in the valley, causing the helicopter to lose stability and crash into the mountain.
The nine people on board included Maj-Gen Tawan Ruangsri, Commander of the 9th Infantry Division, pilots Maj Prapan Jiamsungnoen and Maj Chupan Polwan and two mechanics Sgt-Maj 1stClass Somkid Wongtasaeng and Sgt Aram Pongsing.
Other passengers are Capt Jate Sookjai, Capt Jakkrapan Bumrungpued, Pte 1st class Itthisak Hinasut and a television cameraman from TV Channel 5, Sornchai Kongtannukul. (MCOT online news)
The national park is Thailands largest, and most isolated, and receives some of the heaviest rainfall in Thailand.
Army Chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha ordered rescue teams to move urgently on foot to reach the site where the helicopter signal disappeared from the Thai radar amid bad weather. The fate of the nine soldiers--including Maj-Gen Tawan Ruangsri, Commander of the 9th Infantry Division, remains unknown.
Earlier two rescue teams comprised of soldiers, border patrol police and national park personnel were formed to begin the search and rescue operation. One team is moving urgently to locate possible survivors on board the rescue Black Hawk, while the other team is assigned to retrieve the bodies of Saturdays crash victims.
Later some 70 soldiers from the Kanchanaburi-based 9th Infantry Division were dispatched to help locate the bodies of crash victims and possible survivors.
Thai army spokesman Col Sansern Kaewkamnerd said it could not be confirmed that the chopper had crashed in Myanmar, but the accident was likely to have occurred near the Thai-Myanmar border. The Thai army is coordinating with the Myanmar army, the Tatmadaw, which has dispatched military patrols to search for possible survivors.
Suriyon Phobandit, assistant to the director of Kaeng Krachan National Park said rescue teams started their journey at 7am Wednesday. It is expected they will reach the destination within three days due to continuous rain and dangerous heavily-forested terrain.
The crash site where the Black Hawk helicopter down is estimated to be about 15 kilometres from Panoentung mountain where the res! cue colu mn started its march.
Gen Udomdej Sitabut, Thailand's First Army Commander, on Tuesday confirmed that the Black Hawk military helicopter on mission to retrieve the bodies of five victims in Saturdays accident crashed into a mountain on Tuesday.
He said the likely cause of the accident was bad weather, including rain and strong winds in the valley, causing the helicopter to lose stability and crash into the mountain.
The nine people on board included Maj-Gen Tawan Ruangsri, Commander of the 9th Infantry Division, pilots Maj Prapan Jiamsungnoen and Maj Chupan Polwan and two mechanics Sgt-Maj 1stClass Somkid Wongtasaeng and Sgt Aram Pongsing.
Other passengers are Capt Jate Sookjai, Capt Jakkrapan Bumrungpued, Pte 1st class Itthisak Hinasut and a television cameraman from TV Channel 5, Sornchai Kongtannukul. (MCOT online news)
Comments