Greater than a 12 months after the sinking of HTMS Sukhothai, a Rattanakosin-class corvette, within the Gulf of Thailand off Prachuap Khiri Khan province on the evening of December 18, 2022, the Thai Navy has blamed a sudden, surprising and excessive change in climate and sea circumstances for the foundering of the vessel and the deaths of 24 officers and males. 5 are nonetheless unaccounted for.
The Sukhothai was solely rated for navigating in seas of as much as a most of 4 meters,” he mentioned, including that the 6-meter waves made it unattainable for the captain to manage the vessel, ultimately leading to its sinking.
He claimed that six different vessels, together with a 2,123-tonne cargo freighter, additionally sank within the Gulf on that evening and early subsequent morning.
Admiral Adoong mentioned that the crew on board Sukhothai had been unable to carry out their duties as regular in such circumstances and it was darkish with poor visibility, which hampered rescue operations. He added heavy seas would have scattered the crew over a large space, making it tough for them to outlive below such excessive climate circumstances.
In the meantime, Rear Admiral Apirom Ngernbumroong, chief of the Naval Science Division, disclosed that, after the sinking of the Sukhothai, the Thai Navy performed 4 diving operations to survey the wreck, the final one being in cooperation with US Navy.
He mentioned the fourth diving operation didn’t discover any hint of the 5 lacking crew, however did uncover that water leaked into vessel via the hull, inflicting the vessel to listing.
He additionally reported {that a} metal plate, meant to guard the vessel towards waves, was severely broken.
