Bangkok – Hong Kong

On July 23, 1954 at 08:45 AM, Bangkok – Hong Kong experienced a crash involving Douglas C-54 Skymaster, operated by Cathay Pacific Airways, with the event recorded near Sanya (Hainan Island) Hainan.

The flight was categorized as scheduled revenue flight and the reported phase was flight at a lake, sea, ocean, river crash site.

18 people were known to be on board, 10 fatalities were recorded, 8 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 55.6%.

Crew on board: 4, crew fatalities: 2, passengers on board: 14, passenger fatalities: 8, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is terrorism act, hijacking, sabotage. While cruising over the China Sea on a flight from Bangkok to Hong Kong, the aircraft was attacked and shot down by two Chinese Air Force Lavochkin La-7. Both engines number one and four caught fire. While the radio operator declared an emergency to ATC based at Hong Kong-Kai Tak Airport, the pilot decided to reduce his altitude in an attempt to make an emergency landing. While descending to an altitude of 2,000 feet, the right aileron was sheared off. The captain elected to ditch the aircraft that eventually crashed into the sea off the city of Sanya, on the south coast of Hainan Island. Two USAF Douglas AD-4 Skyraider were dispatched to locate the crash site but both were also attacked by the Chinese fighters. Later, a USN Albatross was eventually able to land in the area where eight people, two crew members and six passengers, were rescued. Ten other occupants were killed and the aircraft sank and was lost.

Aircraft reference details include registration VR-HEU, MSN 10310, year of manufacture 1944.