Dozens of sailors missing after Thai navy ship sinks

The HTMS Sukhothai was carrying 106 folks when it sank in uneven waters within the Gulf of Thailand, the navy says.

The HTMS Sukhothai - a corvette class warship - lists off the coast of Thailand's Prachuap Khiri Khan province on December 18, 2022 [Royal Thai Navy via AP Photo]

Thailand’s navy has dispatched helicopters, planes and ships to rescue dozens of sailors lacking after a navy vessel sank throughout a storm within the Gulf of Thailand.

The HTMS Sukhothai was carrying 106 folks when it went down late on Sunday night time, in accordance with the Royal Thai Navy.

By midmorning on Monday, 75 sailors had been rescued and 31 have been nonetheless within the water, the navy stated. No less than three of the survivors have been “critically injured”, the Bangkok Put up newspaper reported.

The HTMS Sukhothai had taken on seawater after it was hit by sturdy waves, inflicting it to tilt to at least one facet, in accordance with the Bangkok Put up. The corvette class ship, which had been in use since 1987, additionally suffered an influence blackout.

The vessel sank at 11:30pm native time (16:30 GMT) on Sunday.

เหตุ #เรือหลวงสุโขทัย ประสบเหตุเอียงและน้ำเข้าเรือ โฆษกกองทัพเรือชี้แจงว่าเหตุการณ์เรือหลวงสุโขทัยประสบเหตุเอียงนั้นเกิดจากเครื่องยนต์ขัดข้อง ทำให้น้ำไหลย้อนเข้าตัวเรือ และเรือเอียง กำลังเร่งระบายน้ำและอพยพกำลังพลที่ไม่เกี่ยวข้องออก ถ้ากู้สถานการณ์ไม่ได้จำเป็นต้องสละเรือ pic.twitter.com/LmQnee2G2N

— thaiarmedforce (@ThaiArmedForce) December 18, 2022

The Thai navy stated it had dispatched three frigates and two helicopters with cell pumping machines to help the disabled ship by eradicating seawater, however the rescue efforts have been unsuccessful attributable to sturdy winds.

An image shared by the navy confirmed the gray vessel flipped over onto its facet, whereas one other picture on a scanner display screen confirmed the bow of the ship and a gun turret poking out above the waterline because it went down.

The 31 sailors nonetheless lacking are all believed to be afloat within the stormy sea, carrying life jackets, the Bangkok Put up reported.

The incident occurred whereas the warship was on patrol at sea 32km (20 miles) from the pier at Bangsaphan district in Prachuap Khiri Khan province.

Whereas northern and central components are seeing their coldest temperatures of the yr, far southern Thailand has been experiencing storms and flooding in current days.

Ships had been warned to remain ashore through the inclement climate.