Five people were injured when a helicopter carrying United States personnel made a hard landing near Phu Hin Rong Kla National Park in Phitsanulok's Nakhon Luang district, the US embassy said yesterday.
Soldiers from the 3rd Army Region rescue injured US personnel from a CH-46E Sea Knight helicopter which made an emergency landing during the Cobra Gold exercise.
A CH-46E Sea Knight helicopter carrying marines was forced to make an emergency landing while conducting routine flight operations in support of the Thai-US military exercise Cobra Gold 2013 about noon yesterday, embassy spokesman Walter Braunohler said.
Seven military personnel were aboard the aircraft and there were no fatalities. Cobra Gold personnel responded to the emergency.
The Thai 3rd Army Region sent a Bell 212 helicopter and airlifted two men and one woman to Phitsanuvej Hospital. The wounded men reportedly suffered serious burns. The two others were treated at other hospitals.
Villagers alerted local authorities when they spotted smoke rising from Ban Huay Sai Nua in tambon Huay Hua.
Park officials and troops travelled by car to Ban Huay Sai Nua where a patrol unit walked another 10km to the spot where the helicopter made the emergency landing.
Air force chief Prajin Jantong said two helicopters, one from the US and one from the Thai army, were sent to the area to inspect the scene.
ACM Prajin said that he had told the chiefs of the Directorate of Operations and the Office of Royal Thai Air Force Safety Centre to provide help if requested.