At least 91 killed in crash of plane that caught fire

Survivors said the plane was out of control when it landed hard.

PHUKET, Thailand (AP) — A plane carrying foreign tourists crashed Sunday as it tried to land in stormy weather on the resort island of Phuket, engulfing some passengers in flames while others kicked out windows to escape the smoke-filled cabin. At least 91 people were killed.

The budget One-Two-Go Airlines flight was carrying 123 passengers and seven crew members from the capital Bangkok to Phuket when it skidded off the runway in driving wind and rain, officials said. It then ran through a low retaining wall and split in two.

Survivors described their escape amid chaos, smoke and fire.

“As soon as we hit, everything went dark and everything fell,” said Mildred Furlong, 23, a waitress from British Columbia, Canada. The plane started filling with smoke and fires broke out, she said. A passenger in front of her caught fire, while one in the back kicked out a plane window.

It was not clear how many of the 78 foreigners on board died, but they included tourists from France, Germany, Israel, Australia and Britain, said the deputy governor of Phuket province, Worapot Ratthaseema. The government issued a list saying nearly 30 foreigners had survived.

Retrieving bodies

About 60 bodies were retrieved quickly, but it took hours to get the other bodies out. Parts of the twisted plane lay smoking at the side of the runway, while officials wearing masks carried bodies wrapped in white sheets to an airport storage building.

Survivors said the plane landed hard and was out of control.

“Our plane was landing, you can tell it was in trouble, because it kind of landed then came up again the second time,” said John Gerard O’Donnell of Ireland, speaking from his hospital bed.

“I came out on the wing of the plane ... the exit door, it was kind of crushed and I had to squeeze through. And saw my friend, he was outside. He just got out before me. And next thing, it really caught fire, then I just got badly burned, my face, my legs, my arms,” he said.

Parinwit Chusaeng, who was slightly burned, said some passengers were engulfed in flames.

“I stepped over them on the way out of the plane,” Parinwit told The Nation TV channel. “I was afraid that the airplane was going to explode, so I ran away.”