Tragedy Strikes as Thai Police Plane Crashes Off Hua Hin Coast

A small aircraft operated by the Royal Thai Police plummeted into the sea near a well-known beach destination in Thailand, claiming the lives of at least five onboard, authorities reported.

The incident occurred around 8 a.m. during a test flight in preparation for parachute training in the Hua Hin district, according to police spokesperson Archayon Kraithong. The plane went down close to Hua Hin Airport, as confirmed by the public relations office of Prachuab Kiri Khan province.

While the specific model of the propeller-driven aircraft was not immediately disclosed, images from the crash site suggest it was a Viking DHC-6 Twin Otter. Photographs showed the wreckage partially submerged approximately 100 meters offshore, with the fuselage severed into two sections.

Six police officers were aboard the aircraft, Kraithong stated. Initially, he reported five fatalities at the scene and one death at a hospital, but later clarified that five officers perished, with the sixth remaining in critical condition.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation. Kraithong noted that authorities are collecting evidence, including data from the aircraft’s black box, to determine the factors leading to the tragedy.