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Thailand’s navy races to find missing sailors
8 hours ago8 hours ago
A passing cargo ship pulled a survivor from the sea nearly two days after a naval vessel sank amid rough weather in the Gulf of Thailand. The search is still underway for more survivors, although optimism is waning.
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The Thai navy on Tuesday said it had recovered five bodies, with 24 marines still missing after a warship sank in the Gulf of Thailand at the weekend.
Seventy-six survivors have now been rescued — one of them discovered floating in the sea on Tuesday — but hopes are fading for the remaining two dozen people on board.
What’s the latest on the rescue efforts?
A passing cargo ship found the survivor some 60 kilometers (37 miles) from where the ship sank, the navy’s chief of staff Chonlathis Navanugraha said, with a naval frigate taking the sailor to shore. The five bodies and debris were found in the same area.
“The latest person was found 41 hours from when the ship sank, and he was alive. So we believe that there are those still alive out there. We will continue to search,” Navanugraha said. He added that the United States, Britain, and Malaysia had offered to help in the search.
The HTMS Sukhothai sank in rough seas on Sunday night while patrolling the Gulf of Thailand, roughly 20 nautical miles (32 kilometers) from the port of Bang Saphan in the southern Prachuap Khiri Khan region. Regional navy commander Pichai Lorchusakul said finding the men quickly would be critical given their time exposed to the elements.
Officials have acknowledged that the vessel was not carrying enough life jackets for the 105 people on board. The commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Navy, Choengchai Chomchoengpaet, told a press conference the ship was carrying extra personnel as it was joining an anniversary celebration of the navy’s founder.
The HTMS Sukhothai corvette warship lists off the coast of Prachuap Khiri Khan provinceThe HTMS Sukhothai corvette warship lists off the coast of Prachuap Khiri Khan province
The ship took on water that damaged its electronics before listing and sinkingImage: Royal Thai Navy/AP Photo/picture alliance
Helicopters, two planes, and four ships were searching for survivors on Tuesday. Rescue efforts have focused on aerial searches, with the Royal Thai airforce assisting the operation.
“We will keep going until the mission is complete and we bring our people back,” Choengchai said.
Ship electronics damaged by water
Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, a former army commander who also serves as defense minister, assigned his deputy defense minister to visit the surviving sailors on Tuesday.
“We will investigate the cause and never let it happen again,” he said.
The Sukhothai was a corvette, the smallest type of military warship, in service for 35 years. It ran into trouble after strong wind and high waves caused seawater to enter the ship, causing its electronics system to fail, making control of the vessel impossible.
Thailand’s Meteorological Department issued a weather warning a few hours before the accident, saying it expected waves of 2-4 meters (7-14 feet) in the Gulf of Thailand. The department had suggested that all ships proceed with care, warning small craft not to venture out to sea until Tuesday.
rc/es (AFP, AP, Reuters)
