Narathiwat - All four crewmen escaped with minor injuries on Friday morning when their Huey helicopter crash-landed at a special forces base in Muang district as it arrived to pick up senior officers for an inspection trip, authorities said.
The UH-1H chopper, with two pilots and two technicians, left an army camp in Pattani's Nong Chik district at 7.20am to pick up the officers led by Maj Gen Ekkarat Changkaew, commander of the Narathiwat Task Force for an inspection in Chanae district.
The helicopter ran into difficulties as it was about to land at the task force base an hour later.
The crewmen managed to escape the chopper before it exploded shortly after crash landing.
They crewmen were Maj Wirat Suksamran, pilot, Lt Sathaporn Chaikate, co-pilot, and technicians Sgt Maj 1st Class Uthai Khompak and Sgt Maj 1st Class Thanin Mahamanee.
They were initially taken to Naradhiwasrajanagarindra Hospital before being transferred to Songklanagarind Hospital in Songkhla's Hat Yai. The helicopter was destroyed.
Maj Gen Ekkarat said an initial crash investigation found the hydraulic system malfunctioned sending the helicopter into a spin before it hit and skidded off the helipad. It then caught fire and exploded.
The helicopter was scheduled to take Maj Gen Ekkarat and Col Pisit Charnlekha, commander of the 46th paramilitary ranger regiment for an inspection trip in Narathiwat's Chanae district.