The commander of Wing 41, accompanied by an honor guard, lined up to respectfully escort the bodies of two pilots who died in a plane crash, delivering them to their families amid a deeply sorrowful atmosphere.
In the incident involving an AT-6TH attack aircraft from Squadron 411, Wing 41, aircraft number 1 crashed forcefully into the forest in Chom Thong District, Chiang Mai Province. The plane broke apart into pieces. Locals reported hearing two loud explosions before the entire aircraft was engulfed in flames. It is believed the pilots sacrificed themselves by steering the aircraft away from populated areas. The pilots were later identified as Lt. Samatcha Khunmas (flight instructor), the first pilot, and Capt. Korawit Jenkid, the second pilot. Meanwhile, the Air Force Commander ordered an urgent investigation into the cause. The aircraft was brand-new, recently delivered from the United States, and had been in service for only a few months. The crash occurred on the morning of 29 Jan 2026 GMT+7, as previously reported.
A reporter stated that last night at the military airport of Wing 41, the unit held a ceremony to send off the bodies of the pilots who died in the plane crash during a training mission involving combat search and rescue operations. The event was attended by Group Captain Theerayut Kueasukul, commander of Wing 41, the deputy commander, military officials, and the families of the deceased, all in a profoundly mournful atmosphere.
The ceremony began with full honors as the honor guard lined up to receive the bodies of the two pilots, Lt. Samatcha Khunmas and Capt. Korawit Jenkid. Their remains were then transported onto an Air Force transport plane bound for Bangkok, where religious funeral rites will be performed according to tradition.
