A private charter flight carrying nine people, including five Chinese tourists and four Thai crew members, is feared to have claimed the lives of all onboard after crashing into a mangrove swamp in Chachoengsao, Thailand on August 22, 2024.
The Cessna 208B Grand Caravan, registered as HS-SKR and operated by Siam General Aviation, departed from Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok at 2:46 p.m., bound for Trat province, a popular coastal destination in Thailand. Contact with the plane was lost just 11 minutes after takeoff. Around 3:18 p.m., the plane crashed into a swampy mangrove forest in the Bang Pakong district of Chachoengsao province, roughly 40 miles southeast of Bangkok.
Resident Ang Trasawat, 69, reported hearing a loud explosion before rushing to the crash site, where scattered fragments of the plane were found. He described hearing explosions in the air, followed by a loud sound as the plane descended and hit the ground. Upon arriving at the scene, he saw debris scattered across the area, including near a house.
The difficult terrain immediately hampered rescue operations. The crash site, located in a dense and muddy mangrove swamp, made it challenging for rescue teams to access the wreckage. Heavy machinery, including hoes and excavators, was brought in to assist in the recovery. Authorities reported that debris and remains were found buried as deep as 33 feet into the ground due to the vertical nature of the crash.
The wreckage was spread across an area of approximately 328 feet, and although personal belongings, luggage, and body parts have been recovered, no survivors have been found. The search for remains continued into the night but was halted due to the swamp’s rising tides and resumed on Friday, August 23.
Aviation officials have confirmed that the aircraft did not carry a black box, further complicating the investigation. The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand is leading the investigation, attempting to piece together what caused the disaster. Experts speculate that determining the exact cause may take months, given the absence of flight data recorders.
According to the Soneva Kiri resort, where two passengers were employed, the flight was meant to transport the tourists to their luxurious retreat on Koh Kood Island.
