Six police officers lost their lives on Friday morning when a Royal Thai Police aircraft crashed into the sea during a test flight for parachute training in the coastal district of Cha-am, approximately 130km (80 miles) southwest of Bangkok.
The incident occurred around 08:00 local time (01:00 GMT), when the small police plane was seen plunging into the water about 100 metres from the shore. Footage circulating on social media showed bystanders rushing into the sea in an attempt to reach the wreckage.
According to an official statement released by the Royal Thai Police, five officers died at the scene while a sixth succumbed to injuries later in hospital. The victims included three pilots, one engineer, and two mechanics.
Police chief Kitrat Phanphet, who visited the crash site alongside other senior officials, praised the aircraft’s crew for steering the plane away from nearby residential areas, potentially preventing further casualties. “Initial findings suggest the pilots managed to divert the aircraft towards the sea to avoid hitting homes,” he told local reporters.
Images taken hours after the crash showed the wreckage partially submerged in shallow waters, as authorities continued recovery operations.
An investigation is underway, with experts currently examining the aircraft’s black box flight data recorder to determine the cause of the crash.
“The Royal Thai Police express their deepest condolences to the families of the brave officers who lost their lives in the line of duty,” the agency said in a Facebook statement.
This tragic accident marks one of the most serious aviation incidents involving the Royal Thai Police in recent years.
