31 Thai Sailors Reportedly Miss After Vessel Sinks
On Monday, a naval official confirmed that at least 31 Royal Thai Navy servicemen had gone missing after their ship sank off the country’s southeastern coast.
Around 20 nautical miles from Bang Saphan dock in southern Prachuap Khiri Khan, the HTMS Sukhothai began taking in water late on Sunday night as it patrolled the Gulf of Thailand.
After the ship’s electronics were damaged, the navy initiated a rescue operation, and photos showed the ship dramatically listing to one side.
According to Admiral Pogkrong Montradpalin, a spokesperson for the navy, the ship sank just after midnight, and 31 people remain missing.
“The ship’s operating systems broke, resulting in the loss of control,” he explained early Monday.
Two seahawk helicopters, two frigates, and one amphibious ship were involved in the rescue effort, which the statement says saved 75 of the 106 people on board.
According to the statement, the search and rescue effort had begun at 7 a.m. and was still ongoing.
Around eleven navy troops were receiving medical attention at Bang Saphan hospital, while another forty were taking refuge in makeshift shelters.
