ZCZC
BFF-50
THAILAND-HELICOPTER-CRASH
3 killed as civilian helicopter crash lands in northeastern Thailand
BANGKOK, July 18, 2018 (BSS/Xinhua) – A civilian helicopter crash landed,
killing three people on board in northeastern Thailand on Wednesday.
An Eurocopter AS355 light utility helicopter crash landed in Chonnabot
district of Khon Kaen province, about 450 km northeast of Bangkok, at local
time between 9:00 a.m. and 9:30 a.m., killing the three unidentified people
aboard, according to Atthaya Lapmak, director of Khon Kaen airport.
The white-painted helicopter was engulfed by a blaze immediately after it
had crash landed in a rice farm, the airport official said.
Poor visibility and heavy rains were believed to have caused the fatal
crash landing of the helicopter which had taken off from the neighboring
Saraburi province with Khon Kaen airport as its destination, he said.
Authorities have launched investigation into the incident.
BSS/XINHUA/FI/ 1420 hrs