ID :
196055
Wed, 07/20/2011 - 12:38
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/196055
The shortlink copeid
All eyes keep updated on two ill-fated Thai army choppers
PETCHABURI, July 20 (TNA) - All in Thailand have now kept themselves updated on two ill-fated army helicopters, one crashed in a deep forest of Kaeng Krajan National Park in the country's upper southern Petchaburi Province with all five officers on board killed and the other army Blackhawk, with nine people on board, that has been missing since its mission on Tuesday morning to recover the five bodies of last Saturday's crash.
Those who have closely followed the updates include family members, relatives, colleagues and even well-wishers of all the army fatalities and missing, saying that they hope for a miracle in which survivors of the Blackhawk are later detected, as the Blackhawk is known to be the best and safest helicopter in the Thai army fleet.
Latest reports on Wednesday afternoon said that a rescue team has successfully retrieved the five bodies from the site of last Saturday's crash adjacent to Myanmar; while search for the missing Blackhawk has been continuing.
Thai Army Commander-in-Chief General Prayuth Chan-o-cha earlier ordered that two teams of troops be sent out in different directions in their on-foot rescue mission to retrieve the five bodies and to search for the disappearing Blackhawk.
Colonel Kruanak Kerdkham, Deputy Commander of the Royal Thai Army's Surasri Task Force, said that some 200 army officers have been dispatched for the 24-hour-search for the missing Blackhawk, excluding those assigned for the retrieval of the five army fatalities.
Thai army authorities have also sought cooperation from their Myanmar counterparts for the search.
The Blackhawk, one in only six acquired by the Royal Thai Army, was initially believed to have crashed as there was an explosion in the area. Major General Tawan Ruangsri, Commander of the 9th Infantry Division, two pilots, six other army officers and a cameraman of the military-supervised TV Channel 5 in Bangkok were on board the disappearing Blackhawk helicopter. (TNA)
Those who have closely followed the updates include family members, relatives, colleagues and even well-wishers of all the army fatalities and missing, saying that they hope for a miracle in which survivors of the Blackhawk are later detected, as the Blackhawk is known to be the best and safest helicopter in the Thai army fleet.
Latest reports on Wednesday afternoon said that a rescue team has successfully retrieved the five bodies from the site of last Saturday's crash adjacent to Myanmar; while search for the missing Blackhawk has been continuing.
Thai Army Commander-in-Chief General Prayuth Chan-o-cha earlier ordered that two teams of troops be sent out in different directions in their on-foot rescue mission to retrieve the five bodies and to search for the disappearing Blackhawk.
Colonel Kruanak Kerdkham, Deputy Commander of the Royal Thai Army's Surasri Task Force, said that some 200 army officers have been dispatched for the 24-hour-search for the missing Blackhawk, excluding those assigned for the retrieval of the five army fatalities.
Thai army authorities have also sought cooperation from their Myanmar counterparts for the search.
The Blackhawk, one in only six acquired by the Royal Thai Army, was initially believed to have crashed as there was an explosion in the area. Major General Tawan Ruangsri, Commander of the 9th Infantry Division, two pilots, six other army officers and a cameraman of the military-supervised TV Channel 5 in Bangkok were on board the disappearing Blackhawk helicopter. (TNA)
