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Plane crashes in bad weather

AIR TRAGEDY: The wreckage of a Thai One-Two-Go passenger plane near the runway at the Phuket International Airport in southern Thailand after it crashed and burst into flames on Sunday while attempting to land in blinding rain. Eighty-seven people were killed and 43 injured. - PHOTO: AP

BANGKOK: At least 69 were killed and over 40 others injured as a commercial airliner with 128 persons aboard crashed in a landing attempt at the Phuket International Airport in southern Thailand on Sunday afternoon.

Thailand’s Channel 11 TV station reported that at least 69 died in the tragedy, in which an aircraft of Thailand’s budget airline One-Two-Go, crashed into trees and walls around the airport and burst into flames as it attempted to land at around 3:40 p.m. local time.

Chaisak Angsuwan, director of the Civil Aviation Department, said the aircraft broke into two as it attempted to land at the airport in bad weather. Mr. Chaisak said there was heavy rain when the plane tried to land.

“The visibility was poor as the pilot attempted to land. He decided to make a go-around but the plane lost balance and crashed.”

Witnesses were quoted as saying that the plane “landed heavily” and “bounced” before bursting into flames.

The weather in Phuket has been bad for several days, with thunderstorms and high wind gusts at times.

Deputy Governor of the Phuket province Worapot Rattasima expressed the fear that the other passengers on the aircraft might not have survived.

Eleven passengers were still missing, reports said. Foreign victims treated at local hospitals include British, Iranian, Australian, Swedish nationals.

Phuket province is an island located on the eastern coast of the Indian Ocean in southern Thailand and one of Southeast Asia’s most popular tourist destinations. After the crash, all flights in and out of the Phuket airport for the day were cancelled. — Xinhua

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