Thai Navy Searching 33 Missing Marines After Their Warship Sank

The military of Thailand deployed helicopters and warships on Monday to locate 33 marines missing after a corvette reportedly sank in choppy waters of the Gulf of Thailand overnight, the navy mentioned.

Two helicopters and three navy vessels were sent to look for the missing in the province of Prachuap Khiri Khan, toward the south of Bangkok, when the HTMS Sukhothai warship experienced engine malfunctions and went down before midnight, approximately 20 nm off the coast.

An overnight rescue and search mission in poor weather could secure 73 of 106 people on board, the navy mentioned, with the 33 compelled to abandon the ship.

Video Credits: South China Morning Post / YouTube

The navy posted photographs and videos on its Twitter handle, showing personnel in orange vests and a black inflatable raft gradually moving away from a vessel in darkness as huge waves swelled around it. It wasn’t clear immediately how many rafts were deployed.

The Sukhothai, a US-built corvette, has been in use since 1987. It was hit by powerful waves on Sunday, compelling it to tilt to a side before it became flooded with seawater, Admiral Pogkrong Monthardpalin, the navy spokesperson, said.

A photograph shared by the Indian navy reflected the grey vessel reportedly flipped over onto the side. In contrast, another picture on a scanner screen reflected the bow of the boat and a gun turret poking out slightly above the waterline as it slowly went down.

References: US News, Devdiscourse, Reuters

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