PATTAYA, Thailand – A small plane crashed in a field near Huay Yai Temple, east of Pattaya on January 13, resulting in the death of the Austrian pilot and causing severe injuries to the German passenger.
The deceased pilot has been identified as Stefan Molnar, a 50-year-old Austrian national. The injured passenger, Christian Leonardo Schuf, a 51-year-old German, suffered a fractured ankle with bones protruding from both sides and was in a state of shock. Emergency medical personnel provided initial assistance before urgently transporting him to Wat Yannasangwararam Hospital.
The small white plane, identified as an EK Air model with the registration U-H77, collided with a large tamarind tree before crashing to the ground was totally demolished. Local residents, including 64-year-old cattle herder Mr. Sommit who witnessed the incident rushed to the plane to rescue Schuf from the burning wreckage.
Paramedics gave preliminary care before swiftly transporting Schuf to the hospital. Sommit recalled tending to his cattle in the field when he heard the plane overhead. A loud explosion ensued, and a large box narrowly missed him before the plane collided with the tamarind tree and crashed.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) has launched an investigation into the crash, probing both its cause and the details of the flight. The contents of the cargo remain undisclosed pending the ongoing investigation.
This incident marks the second plane crash in Pattaya this year, following the January 4 incident when a Cessna 172 crashed into a house, resulting in injuries to four individuals.
