A Eurocopter AS350 (Astar) took off around 7:30 a.m. from Phitsanulok with several government officials on board. The destination was Phu Phayak mountain where the officials were to preside over a reforestation project ceremony. The helicopter took off in heavy rain conditions and radar contact was lost 30 minutes later. The wreckage wasn’t found until the next morning in dense jungle and was a 4 kilometer hike from the nearest road. Around 350 people were involved in the search operation.
The helicopter is normally used for forest patrol missions and was not equipped with weather radar. A senior pilot was asked to fly that day but due to problems he was replaced by someone they are calling “new.” It isn’t clear if that person was new to the job or newly certified to fly. It also isn’t clear if the problem they had with the senior pilot was his refusal to fly in those conditions, the articles aren’t clear on that point.
Details of those on board from bangkokpost.com:
The dead are permanent secretary for natural resources and environment Saksit Tridech; an inspector-general with the National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department, Kowit Punyatrong; an adviser to the Royal Household Bureau, Sahat Boonyawiwat; pilot Jenwit Arunsawat and mechanic Witoon Thien-nguen.
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