Crash casts shadow over Children’s Day
THE NATIONWIDE Children’s Day celebration yesterday was marred by tragedy after a fighter jet plunged from the sky during a military air show in Songkhla province, killing the pilot.
The accident happened at Wing 56 of Hat Yai airport in the southern province before hundreds of spectators, including many children, who watched a show organised by the Air Force as part of Children’s Day activities.
The pilot of the Swedish-made JAS 39 Gripen jet was identified as Squadron Leader Dilokrit Pattawi, 34, from Wing 7 based in nearby Surat Thani province.
Footage of the tragedy captured shrieks from the startled crowd as the jet nosedived and crashed near the airport’s runway, bursting into flames and releasing a fiery plume of smoke.
No one else was hurt in the incident, according to an airport official, as the spectators were gathered a considerable distance away from the crash site.
Military officers sealed off the area of crash following the incident, and the media were not allowed in.
The Gripen fighter jet that crashed was part of a 12-plane squadron stationed at Wing 7. It |had been used in a separate air |show in Pattani province earlier in the day.
Air Force commander-in-chief ACM Johm Rungswang ordered an investigation into the accident, according to Air Force spokesman AVM Pongsak Semachai.
“The responsible units have been sent to the scene of the accident to investigate and determine the cause,” the spokesman said, adding that the Air Force chief expressed his sorrow over the pilot’s death.
He also said that the flight manoeuvre performed by the pilot was not aerobatic in nature or |risky.
The pilot’s body will be moved to Bhumibol Hospital in Bangkok and a bathing rite is scheduled for tomorrow, according to the spokesman.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwan offered their sympathy to the airman’s family.
“The prime minister has expressed his condolences to the pilot, his family and the Royal Thai Air Force,” Maj-General Werachon Sukondhapatipak, spokesman for the National Council for Peace and Order, said.
Prawit, who is also a deputy prime minister, expressed his “heartfelt sorrow” to the pilot’s family, according to Defence Ministry spokesman Maj-General Kongcheep Tantrawanit.
The defence minister has instructed the Air Force chief to take good care of the bereaved relatives and to investigate the cause of the accident, the spokesman said.
Prawit instructed the commanders of military and police units providing armament displays for the public to step up safety measures, according to the spokesman.
The Air Force, via its Facebook fan page, asked members of the public to refrain from sharing video clips of the crash out of respect for the pilot’s family and other people involved.
(NationMultimedia)
bhahaha pesawat baru, belum perang sudah jatoh
BalasHapusHow can you laugh when someone die in this crash??or you just an idiot who does not understand english??
Hapuseasy...Indonesian TNI-AU has a very 'good' record in crashing aircraft. they have lost their mind because of that.
Hapusno need to say bad things about tni au but i do agree about that guy being a dickhead. death is not a laughing matter. imagine if i laugh about the death of the indonesian t50 and c130 pilot, what would you feel?
HapusShafiq, Dyslexic don't listen to that guy. He may be an indonesian but he is a dickhead and an idiot. If you've been here for a long time, you'd know about russia loving ultranationalistic idiots like Muarif. This guy is from the same breed. He probably only laughs because: a. It's a Gripen and b. It didn't happen in Indonesia or to an indonesian pilot.
HapusNo sane indonesian would laugh to a tragic crash like that.
Dear Mr. Anonymous, no prob bro.. i understand.. this kind of breed exist in every nation. sorry for my comment about TNI-AU..just can't accept the fact that, there is still people who will laugh for the death of human being.. again.. apologize for my words to my fellow Indonesian friends..
HapusKomentar ini telah dihapus oleh pengarang.
HapusI am not going to say sorry for everything I say, because if you read this blog then you are a military or a military analyst. where we are talking about weapons that are used to "KILL"!!! so death is very common in the military, if you still have a question the cause of death here then you are a hypocrite !!! or you are just mushy civilians behind the computer screen? or simply pansy hiding behind the name anonymus. due respect to the pilot's accident then it is important to be questioned is something wrong with s.o.p and its object
HapusYour reply proof that you are a total dickhead incapable of remorse with no sense of honour and respect for others
HapusMy deep condolence to the perished Pilot family....
BalasHapusKomentar ini telah dihapus oleh pengarang.
BalasHapus
BalasHapuswhen i saw the video, aircraft just flip and go down,
i know, the pilot cant use ejection seat in that position or is there any chance the pilot pass out before plane hit the ground.
there's a possibility of g loc. high g maneuver that cause loss of consciousness. this is just a possibility and we should wait for the investigation result. it could even be system malfunction, who knows.
Hapusyeap, u right anything could happen. let see n wait.
HapusGak bisa mas bobby...pesawatnya harus dibalikkan lagi dalam posisi kokpit diatas (pada kejadian tsb)
BalasHapusKomentar ini telah dihapus oleh pengarang.
BalasHapus