The 3rd Army Region grounded its eight Bell helicopters following Monday’s deadly crash in Phayao, but army officials Tuesday reaffirmed their confidence in the aircraft.
A army Bell 212 helicopter made an emergency landing in Chiang Rai in 2012. (Photo by Theerawat Khamthita)
Deputy army spokesman Col Sirichan Ngathong said the army would continue to use both the Bell 212 and UH-1 "Huey" copters in its missions nationwide, despite the crash that killed nine officers in Phayao's Muang district around 5:30pm yesterday. The army currently operates 40 212's and about the same number of Hueys.
"I insist that the Army still uses Bell 212 helicopters for its missions as normal. There has not been a general order to ground them," she said.
However, Maj Gen Nopporn Ruenjan, commander of the 4th Infantry Division, said Tuesday that the 3rd Army Region has grounded its three Bell 212 and five UH-1 helicopters pending results of the crash investigation.
He said that the service suspension was part of normal safety standards. He noted that the ill-fated helicopter crashed even though it had been maintained and its parts replaced regularly.
Col Sirichan said air-crash investigators from the 3rd Army Region and the Army Aviation Centre have retrieved the remnants of the downed chopper and were investigating the crash.
For the nine officers killed in Monday's crash, Col Sirichan said the army would pay full compensation to families, as they were killed while on duty.
The nine bodies were transported to Wat Khuha Sawan in Phitsanulok province on Tuesday for royally sponsored religious rites. Cremation is set on Nov 25. The dead included Maj Gen Songphol Thongjeen, deputy 3rd Army Region commander.
Maj Gen Thana Jaruwat said the Bell copters have service times of 30 years and those in use by the 3rd Army have been in service for only 20 years. He also said that the ill-fated helicopter had crashed before catching fire. He denied reports that its engine had caught in mid-air.
The helicopter fell from an altitude of about 300 metres and all the bodies were within the aircraft, Maj Gen Thana said, disputing reports two of the dead had jumped from the copter.