One dead, seven hurt as Thai plane slides off runway

Chew Bakar SG

Reuters - 1 hr 19 mins ago

BANGKOK (Reuters) – One person was killed and seven injured when a commercial plane slid off a runway into a disused control tower on the Thai tourist island of Koh Samui on Tuesday, police said.

The Bangkok Airways plane flying from the southern Thai resort of Krabi left the runway while landing in heavy rain.

"It hit an unmanned control tower," the island's police chief, Colonal Saharat Saksilpachai, told Reuters. "It's possible the dead person might be the pilot."

(Reporting by Panarat Thepgumpanat; Writing by Martin Petty; Editing by Alan Raybould)

QX179R SG

Pilot killed and several passengers injured as Thai airplane skids off runway

A pilot has been killed and seven passengers hospitalised when a Bangkok Airways jet skidded and hit an old control tower as it landed on Thailand's resort island of Ko Samui.

Thailand's public health ministry said 42 people were injured in the crash.

Among the injured, Bangkok Airways' president said four passengers -- one Italian, two British and one Swiss -- have been hurt seriously.

A spokesman said another six passengers had also been taken to hospital, with broken legs among the injuries, but everyone on board had been safely evacuated.

Aviation officials are en route to Samui airport to investigate the cause of the incident.

There were 68 passengers aboard the 70-seater ATR-72, which was flying from the southwestern tourist town Krabi, to Ko Samui in the Gulf of Thailand.

Bangkok Airways, which also owns Samui airport, said it has temporarily shut the facility following the incident.

Thai television showed footage of the crash as the airplane ploughed into the old control tower, now being used to house fire trucks.

--938Live

QX179R SG

No Singaporeans on board skidded Thai jet

SINGAPORE: Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed on Tuesday that no Singaporeans were on board a Bangkok Airways jet, which skidded and hit an old control tower as it landed on Thailand's resort island of Ko Samui.

"Our Embassy in Bangkok has been informed by Bangkok Airways that there are no Singaporeans on board the flight," an MFA spokesperson said.

Thai aviation authorities confirmed that flight PG266 pilot Chartchai Pansuwan was killed and nine passengers were injured - seven seriously.

It was earlier reported that 42 people were injured in the crash and taken to several hospitals in the province.

There were 68 passengers and four crew on board the 70-seater ATR-72, which was flying from the southwestern tourist town of Krabi to Ko Samui in the Gulf of Thailand.

Thai television showed footage of the crash as the airplane ploughed into the old control tower that had been converted into a fire station, housing fire trucks.

Police Colonel Saharat Saksilchai said it had been raining at the time of the crash.

Bangkok Airways said the foreign passengers on that flight were from Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Israel, Spain and Switzerland.

- CNA/so/al