A US-made Royal Thai Navy ship sank in the Gulf of Thailand on Monday, prompting an hour-long search by helicopter still searching for at least 30 missing sailors.
Rescue workers have already recovered 75 sailors from HTMS Sukothai, a corvette originally manufactured in Tacoma, Washington. The waves in the Gulf were reportedly more than 3 meters high, or about 10 feet. According to The Associated Press, the ship sailed in the conditions despite warnings of bad weather and waves of up to 4 meters.
A rescued sailor told Thai media that he floated in the water for three hours before being pulled out.
Rescue workers say the high waves make it all but impossible to search for seafarers from the side, requiring helicopters with searchlights to search from above.
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Corvette Warship HTMS Sukhothai charted Sunday 18th December 2022 off the coast of Prachuap Khiri Khan Province, Thailand. The Thai Navy vessel has sunk in the Gulf of Thailand and ships and helicopters were deployed Monday to rescue seafarers from the water. (Royal Thai Navy via AP)
The Royal Thai Navy released video taken as listings of the HTMS Sukhothai corvette ahead of Sunday’s sinking. The search for at least 30 missing sailors continues. (Royal Thai Navy)
Strong winds and high waves reportedly splashed water on the ship’s deck and destroyed the electrical system. When the ship was shut down, sailors were unable to pump water out of the ship, which the AP said caused it to hit aggressively and then sink.
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The Sukothai, which entered service in 1987, was 252 feet in length and had a displacement of 959 tons. Thai authorities plan to salvage as much of the ship as possible after the rescue effort is complete.
Anders Hagstrom is a reporter at Fox News Digital, covering national politics and breaking breaking news. Send tips to [email protected] or on Twitter: @Hagstrom_Anders.