FAR SOUTH
WASSANA NANUAM
The bodies of the airmen killed in Wednesday's helicopter crash in Yala arrive at the air force base in Bangkok yesterday. |
The helicopter which crashed and killed 10 officers in Yala was old but was regularly maintained, but the air force is definitely in need of more airworthy planes, ACM Chalit Phukpasuk said.
The UH-1H in Wednesday's fatal crash had been used for over 39 years.The entire fleet of Hueys was routinely maintained and there had been a major overhaul in 2005, the air force chief said.
There would be a problem in the future with spare parts and the air force wanted new helicopters, but did not have the budget funding.
Investigators were still trying to determine the cause of the crash in Betong district. Poor visibility was initially blamed but problems with the chopper, bought second-hand from the US, had not been ruled out.
ACM Chalit said Wednesday's crash in Yala was the biggest loss to the air force in 20 years.
Two C-130 planes were yesterday sent to bring the victims' bodies to Bangkok.
The crash killed an army colonel and nine airmen on a search-and-rescue operation.
Grp Capt Monthon Satchukorn, the air force deputy spokesman, said the dead officers would each be given an eight-step promotion.
The nine airmen were Grp Capt Theerapong Siksamat, Grp Capt Kamol Janwanna, Wg Cdr Chaiwat Boonyalit, pilot Flt Lt Nopporn Nimsiri, co-pilot Flt Lt Chatchai Chujai, mechanic FS 1 Chaiwat Jitteetip, mechanic FS 1 Nikom Ampong, search-and-rescue team member FS 1 Songkran Intachote and search-and-rescue team member Sgt Sirichoke Sukkul.
The army colonel killed in the crash was Col Wanchai Puangkhamsap, deputy chief of the Pattani provincial army force.
New Interior Minister Kowit Wattana flew to the deep South yesterday for a briefing and to explain his policy.
Eight members of the police bomb squad and two civilians were injured in a bomb explosion in Pattani's Yaring district yesterday.
The police went to inspect two suspicious-looking items near a school in Yaring district. The items were found to be fake bombs. On the way back a bomb hidden under a flower pot along the road went off as they passed.
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