Search for lost chopper intensifies

Search for lost chopper intensifies

This Lakota UH-72 helicopter, seen in a demonstration flight on Children's Day last January, has gone missing with five senior army officers on board in the far North. (File photo by Chanat Katanyu)
This Lakota UH-72 helicopter, seen in a demonstration flight on Children's Day last January, has gone missing with five senior army officers on board in the far North. (File photo by Chanat Katanyu)

A war room has been set up to direct a search for the UH-72 Lakota helicopter of the 3rd Army which has gone missing with five officers on board including Nopporn Ruanchan, commander of the 4th Infantry Division.

The helicopter lost contact with flight control at 10.30am Sunday, about 30 minutes after taking off from Pang Ma Pha district of Mae Hong Son, 3rd Army commander Somsak Nilbancherdkul said. The chopper was missing at press time.

Lt Gen Somsak said Sunday afternoon the helicopter was likely to have disappeared in the Doi Inthanon National Park in Mae Chaem district of Chiang Mai although the search will also cover the area bordering Samoeng district, also in Chiang Mai.

Soldiers were mobilised to join a search party which set out on foot to the area where the helicopter probably went missing.

Nopporn: One of five missing

The helicopter flew to Mae Hong Son on Saturday afternoon for a relief operation in Mae Hong Son's Pai and Pang Ma Pha districts which were hit by flash floods.

Lt Gen Somsak said he had ordered all units under the 3rd Army, especially the 36th Ranger Task Force, to conduct a thorough search for the helicopter.

They have been joined by the forestry officials and local leaders familiar with the terrain of the area where the helicopter is believed to have disappeared off the radar.

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