Plane slides off runway on Thai holiday island, one dead (2nd Lead)

Aug 4, 2009, 10:31 GMT

   Bangkok - The captain of a passenger plane was killed when the aircraft he was flying slid off the runway Tuesday while landing at the popular Thai tourist island of Samui, a government official said.

   Transport Minister Sophon Sarun said passengers were injured and taken to hospital, but he could not confirm how many or how seriously.

   Bangkok Airways flight PG266 en route from Krabi to Samui Island lost control when landing in a rainstorm and slid into one of the buildings along the runway, Sophon said.

   'The captain was killed,' he said, adding air traffic was halted to the popular resort island.

   Thai media reports of up to 10 fatalities could not be confirmed.

   The plane involved was an ATR-72 twin turboprop which can carry up to 74 passengers.

   The Thai News Agency reported there were 68 passengers and four crew on the flight, according to Civil Aviation Department Deputy Director-General Kannika Khemawuthanont.

   An airline spokeswoman confirmed the crash and said several passengers were injured when the plane slid off the runway at 2:30 pm (0730 GMT).

   Nanwipa Gayjanun said they could not provide any further details on the number of injured passengers. The airline scheduled a press conference for 1000 GMT.

   Samui Island, in the Gulf of Thailand 480 kilometers south of Bangkok, is a popular resort island for Thais and foreigners alike. Bangkok Airways owns and operates the airport on the island.

   Bangkok Airways, which calls itself Thailand's boutique airline, is privately owned by Dr Prasert Prasarttong-Osothy who holds more than 90 per cent of the stock.

   The airline started regular service in 1986 when it was called Sahako Air. It changed its name to Bangkok Airways in 1989, the same year it opened the airport on Samui Island.

   Bangkok Airways for many years relied on turboprop aircraft such as the ATR-72, then it introduced its first jets in 2000. Since then it has grown to have more than 10 jets including Boeing 717-200s and Airbus A319-132s and A320-232s. It has also added flights to China, Japan and several neighboring countries.

   Bangkok Airways' only other crash was at the same airport on November 21, 1990 when its plane tried to land during heavy rain. In that crash of a de Havilland Dash 8 - also a twin engine turboprop - all 38 people onboard died.