Six Thai police officers killed in plane crash during drill

By AFP
April 26, 2025
This handout photo taken and released by the Royal Thai Police on April 25, 2025, shows Thailands national police chief Kitrat Phanphet (centre) and officers saluting the bodies of police officers covered in Thailands national flag on Cha-am beach north of Hua Hin. — AFP
This handout photo taken and released by the Royal Thai Police on April 25, 2025, shows Thailand's national police chief Kitrat Phanphet (centre) and officers saluting the bodies of police officers covered in Thailand's national flag on Cha-am beach north of Hua Hin. — AFP 

BANGKOK: Six Thai police officers were killed when a small plane crashed into the sea during a parachute training drill near a resort town on Friday, police said. The crash occurred around 8:00 am (0100GMT) off the coast of Prachuap Khiri Khan province south of Bangkok.

Police spokesperson Archayon Kraithong said five of the six officers on board were killed at the scene. The sixth died later in hospital, according to a Royal Thai Police statement on Facebook. Authorities are examining the aircraft´s black box data recorder to determine the cause of the crash. Thai media reported the aircraft went down about 100 metres from the shore in Cha-am district, a popular weekend getaway around 130-kms southwest of the capital.