The Royal Thai Navy (RTN) has concluded a 19-day salvage mission for HTMS Sukhothai, with five crew members still missing. The mission, which began on February 22 in collaboration with the US Navy, was conducted with the aim of uncovering the cause of the sinking of the US-built corvette in the Gulf of Thailand in December 2022.
RTN Commander-in-Chief Admiral Chatchai Thongsaard reported the recovery of 58 items of physical evidence, including a CCTV recording device, which is expected to aid in determining the cause of the disaster.
Despite extensive searches of the ship, including all accessible rooms and cabins, the bodies of the five missing crew members were not found. The search teams also successfully decommissioned various armaments on the ship and retrieved 11 objects of sentimental value, including the ship’s nameplate and portraits of significant figures.
The RTN anticipates announcing the cause of the sinking within a month, based on the new evidence collected. The HTMS Sukhothai, which sank off Prachuap Khiri Khan province during a storm on December 18, 2022, had 105 crew members aboard; 76 were rescued, 24 were found dead, and five remain missing and presumed dead. The mission was carried out safely, and no injuries were reported among the divers and personnel involved. (NNT)
