A Royal Thai Police Wing Viking DHC-6-400 Twin Otter crashed into the sea nose-first shortly after taking off on a post-maintenance test flight. All six police officers onboard the aircraft died as the aircraft crashed not far from the shoreline in the coastal town of Hua Hin, where the plane had taken off from the local airport.
The accident happened on April 25, 2025, as the Twin Otter (with registration 36964) fell into the sea. The aircraft had just departed from Hua Hin Airport (HHQ) in Cha-am, Phetchaburi, for a test flight with three pilots, two mechanics, and an aircraft engineer on board. According to local reports, the aircraft’s right-hand engine failed, and the aircraft spun nose down into the sea and broke in two in shallow water. All six members died on impact, and the aircraft was destroyed.
Royal Thai Police Viking DHC-6-400 Twin Otter crashes into the sea shortly after takeoff from Hua Hin Airport in Thailand.
All six occupants sustained fatal injuries in the accident.
Pol Lt Gen Archayon Kraithong, spokesman for the Royal Thai Police, said the incident happened… pic.twitter.com/dcp4gY2Nre
— Breaking Aviation News & Videos (@aviationbrk) April 25, 2025
The small plane was observed crashing into the water at around 08:15 local time on April 25, 2025, around 100 meters (330ft) off the beach at the Baby Grand Hotel in Hua Hin, located some 80 miles (130km) southwest of Bangkok. Local media footage shared online showed people wading into the sea to reach the crash site.
The Royal Thai Police said in a statement on Facebook that five of the officers died at the scene, with a sixth later dying in the local hospital. It remains unclear whether the aircraft had a black box fitted, although an investigation is already underway to determine the cause of the crash.
“The Royal Thai Police express their deepest condolences to the brave officers who lost their lives,” a statement added. Local Police Chief Kitrat Phanphet, who visited the scene alongside other officials, said initial investigations showed the plane was heading towards houses but its pilots managed to manoeuvre it towards the sea, avoiding any further fatalities.
#Breaking Royal Thai Police Aircraft Crashes Off Hua Hin, Killing 5 of The 6 Aboard
HUA HIN, Thailand A Royal Thai Police Viking DHC-6-400 Twin Otter crashed into shallow waters off the coast of Hua Hin shortly after takeoff from Hua Hin Airport on Friday, killing 5 of the 6… pic.twitter.com/L6ndV972dx
— SLCScanner (@SLCScanner) April 25, 2025
Photographs from the scene published online showed the plane wreckage lying part-submerged in shallow water, with the various main sections in several pieces. The aircraft was on a test flight in preparation for a parachute training drill later that day in Hua Hin, said Pol Lt Gen Archayon Kraithong, a spokesperson for the Royal Thai Police.
After visiting the crash site, the Thai National Police chief visited the sixth crew member in the hospital, who later succumbed to his injuries. The plane, one of three Twin Otters acquired by the Royal Thai Police in 2020, had recently undergone maintenance, according to local media reports.
An initial investigation showed that the aircraft lost stability shortly after leaving the runway. Video taken from shore showed the plane ascending and then going into a vertical nosedive. Despite pilots’ attempts to regain control, it plunged into the sea, with the fuselage appearing to break in two upon impact.
