Rescuers are still searching for 30 missing sailors after the vessel sank off the coast of Thailand

Adriana Lima
By Adriana Lima 2 Min Read
origin 1The corvette warship HTMS Sukhothai off the coast of Prachuap Khiri Khan province, Thailand. Photo courtesy of the Royal Thai Navy. © AP via Royal Thai Navy

The Royal Thai Navy is desperate for at least 30 sailors after one of its ships sank in the Gulf of Thailand.

The operation has been underway since Sunday and so far they have saved 75 people.

A man was found unconscious in the water, with only his life jacket keeping him afloat. He has since woken up and been taken to hospital after he was reportedly able to walk on his own.

HTMS Sukhothai was carrying 106 people before her crew lost control of the vessel after high waves drove water into her engine room.

It then sank about 37 kilometers off the coast of Prachuap Khiri Khan province, southwest of Bangkok.

“The waves are still high and we can’t look for them from the horizontal line. Instead, we have to fly the helicopters and look for them from a bird’s eye view,” said Pokkrong Monthatphalin, a navy spokesman.

The exact details of the crash are still unclear. According to a sailor who spoke to a local TV station, there were not enough life jackets on board because there were more people on the ship than usual.

“[For] to this operation, they added the personnel of the Marine Corps and the Coastal and Air Defense Command, about 30 people. This is why I think there weren’t enough life jackets,” Navy Commander Adm. Choengchai Chomchoengpaet said in an interview with another station.

The rescue effort, which includes several navy ships and aircraft, is focused on an area about 30 kilometers south of the boat’s last location.

Watch the RockedBuzz via Euronews report in the video player above to find out more.

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