Boeing 747 belonging to 'Orange Air' from Sierra Leone dumped in Thai wasteland
- 6 years ago
This is what became of the mystery airline Orange Air - hacked into pieces and dumped in Thai wasteland.
The private charter carrier based in diamond-rich Sierra Leone, West Africa, boasted a single Boeing 747 in its fleet but the plane was grounded after mechanical problems in 2014.
Thai carrier Orient Thai leased the aircraft but they didn’t even get round to changing the livery, before it was left to rust at the U-Tapao airport in Chonburi, Thailand.
The aircraft now lies in tatters having been unceremoniously broken up and dumped several miles away - by whom nobody knows - in cobra-infested wasteland next to a motorway, which tens of thousands of tourists pass along every day.
A local resident said: ‘'The plane appeared here about two years ago. It hasn’t moved since. I have never seen anybody come to work on it. I think it is too expensive to scrap the plane now so it's just a home for stray dogs.''
Footage shows how most parts of the plane are still intact - with wings, landing gear, huge wheels, fairings, wing flaps, seats and even the nose tip lying around the land.
Several stray dogs can be seen sleeping under a wing which provides shade for them from the sun.
The plane's call sign N899TH - changed from the earlier 9L-LOR - is still visible. Even the pilot's joysticks have been left in place, despite most of the computer systems now removed.
The obscure private charter carrier Orange Air was formed in 2005 operating a single Boeing 747 from Sierra Leone.
The private charter carrier based in diamond-rich Sierra Leone, West Africa, boasted a single Boeing 747 in its fleet but the plane was grounded after mechanical problems in 2014.
Thai carrier Orient Thai leased the aircraft but they didn’t even get round to changing the livery, before it was left to rust at the U-Tapao airport in Chonburi, Thailand.
The aircraft now lies in tatters having been unceremoniously broken up and dumped several miles away - by whom nobody knows - in cobra-infested wasteland next to a motorway, which tens of thousands of tourists pass along every day.
A local resident said: ‘'The plane appeared here about two years ago. It hasn’t moved since. I have never seen anybody come to work on it. I think it is too expensive to scrap the plane now so it's just a home for stray dogs.''
Footage shows how most parts of the plane are still intact - with wings, landing gear, huge wheels, fairings, wing flaps, seats and even the nose tip lying around the land.
Several stray dogs can be seen sleeping under a wing which provides shade for them from the sun.
The plane's call sign N899TH - changed from the earlier 9L-LOR - is still visible. Even the pilot's joysticks have been left in place, despite most of the computer systems now removed.
The obscure private charter carrier Orange Air was formed in 2005 operating a single Boeing 747 from Sierra Leone.