A tragic aviation accident occurred this morning, Friday, April 25, 2025, when a small aircraft operated by the Royal Thai Police crashed into the sea near the boundary between Cha-am district in Phetchaburi province and Hua Hin district in Prachuap Khiri Khan. The crash resulted in the deaths of five individuals and left one person injured.
The aircraft, a De Havilland Canada DHC-6-400 Twin Otter, was conducting a test flight following maintenance work. It had been used for parachute training operations prior to the crash. The incident occurred around 8:00 a.m. local time, shortly after takeoff, when the plane went down off the coast near the Royal Thai Air Force welfare housing area.
Emergency services responded promptly to the scene. Two Advanced Life Support (ALS) teams from Hua Hin Hospital and a Basic Life Support (BLS) unit from the Sawang Hua Hin Rescue Foundation were dispatched. One injured individual was transported to Hua Hin Hospital for treatment.
Local authorities, including Hua Hin District Chief Prasoot Hombunthoeng and Cha-am District Chief Sub-Lieutenant Kaew Kongwong, visited the crash site to oversee the response efforts. Rescue teams from both Phetchaburi and Prachuap Khiri Khan provinces were mobilized to support recovery operations.
The crash site, located offshore, has complicated rescue and recovery operations. Coordination is ongoing between various agencies as investigations continue to determine the cause of the crash. As of Friday morning, the identities of the victims had not yet been released.
The Royal Thai Police and aviation authorities are conducting a thorough investigation into the incident.
