Fishermen have caught the wreckage of a US plane believed to have been used in the Vietnam War in their nets and sparked fears it could still contain explosives.
The surprising discovery was made in the Mekong River in the village of Baan Pak Mang when fishermen from Thailand and Laos pulled up the plane in their daily catch.
The fishermen stumbled across the plane in the Thai province of Nong Khai, which is right on the border with Laos. It has been identified as a North American T-28 Trojan military trainer aircraft.
Chonnathep Suriwong, a 40-year-old Thai fisherman, said his fishing net became entangled with the plane’s propeller. When he realised what had happened, he called the authorities for fear there might be explosives on board. Several components of the plane have been recovered, but 20% of the plane’s body is still buried in the riverbed and will be recovered in the coming days.
Police have cordoned off the whole area for fear that there may be explosives still enclosed in the plane wreckage and Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) experts have been dispatched to the scene to conduct a thorough investigation.
