The exercise formed part of the airport’s annual emergency plan exercise (PEMEX 2026) and was designed to evaluate coordination between air, ground and maritime rescue teams under high-pressure conditions.
Phuket Vice Governor Teeraphong Chuaychoo presided over the drill, joined by Phuket Airport General Manager Monchai Tanode and representatives from a wide range of government agencies, state enterprises, airlines and private-sector operators.
The simulation centred on a fictional Chalong Airways Flight 789, an ATR 72 aircraft carrying about 40 passengers, which reported a bird strike shortly after takeoff.
The pilot declared a ‘Mayday’ distress call, reporting loss of control and requesting an emergency landing. Air traffic control then declared an emergency after the aircraft was presumed to have crashed into the sea near the head of the runway.
The scenario triggered the airport’s highest-level emergency response for an aircraft accident at sea, with the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) activated and a Mobile Command Post established.
Rescue teams were rapidly deployed across multiple fronts. Airport fire and rescue units initiated maritime operations, while coordination was established with the Royal Thai Navy, marine security authorities and local rescue foundations.
Boats and personnel were dispatched to waters west of the airport to conduct search-and-rescue operations, while ambulances and emergency medical teams were placed on standby at a staging area inside the airport to receive casualties.
The exercise covered all critical phases of disaster response, including incident reporting, command activation, search and rescue at sea, evacuation of the injured, triage procedures and inter-agency coordination, said an official report of the exercise.
Participating organisations included naval units, air traffic control, disaster prevention officials, local administrative bodies, national park authorities, hospitals and aviation stakeholders, reflecting a broad, integrated response network.
Airport GM Mr Monchai said the exercise was conducted in line with requirements set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and Thailand’s Civil Aviation Authority, which mandate that airports carry out full-scale emergency drills annually.
The focus was on ensuring rapid, coordinated and standardised responses to aviation emergencies, particularly complex scenarios involving maritime rescue, and the drill demonstrated the airport’s readiness “in all dimensions”, including personnel, equipment and inter-agency cooperation, he said.
“The exercise reflects our commitment to passenger safety and our ability to manage emergency situations effectively,” Mr Monchai assured.
Following the exercise, data from all participating agencies will be collected and analysed to identify strengths and areas for improvement. The findings will be used to update and refine the airport’s emergency response plans to ensure they remain effective under evolving conditions, Mr Monchai explained.