Thai Air Force loses contact with radar, three personnel on board

The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) has confirmed that one of its helicopters lost contact with radar while flying from Don Mueang air base to Rayong at 2.40pm (local time) Saturday.

RTAF spokesman Air Vice Marshal Pongsak Semachai in a statement said, the Huey utility helicopter with three air force personnel on board departed the air base near Bangkok an hour earlier at 1.40pm.

The air force identified the pilot of the ill-fated helicopter as Squadron Leader Paset Techasen, along with two others, Flight Lieutenant Alongkorn Jankrajang and Flight Sergeant First Class Wisut Puttaraksa.

The search and rescue operations to find the missing helicopter had been terminated for Saturday and would be continued Sunday, he said.