Naval vessel in Thailand sinks, military initiates search for 33 missing marines
In the Gulf of Thailand, a dramatic rescue operation is underway after the HTMS Sukhothai, a US-built corvette in operation since 1987, was struck by strong waves on Sunday, approximately 20 maritime miles off the shore. The incident occurred around midnight on Sunday.
The warship, which went down in rough weather conditions, experienced an engine malfunction before capsizing over an hour later. As a result, 33 personnel are still missing, while 73 of the 106 people aboard were rescued.
Thailand's armed forces have deployed battleships and helicopters to locate the missing marines. The rescue operation, which began on Monday, is being coordinated from Prachuap Khiri Khan province, south of Bangkok.
An image shared by the navy shows the grey vessel flipped over onto its side, while another image on a scanner screen reveals the bow of the ship and a gun turret poking out over the waterline as it sank. The navy spokesperson, Admiral Pogkrong Monthardpalin, claimed that the incident caused the warship to tilt to one side and become swamped with seawater.
The identity of the commander or highest officer of the HTMS Sukhothai at the time it capsized is not publicly disclosed. The location of the incident remains the Gulf of Thailand.
The rescue operation continues, with the Thai navy and armed forces working tirelessly to locate the missing marines. Our thoughts are with the families of those still unaccounted for, and we hope for a successful outcome to the operation.
