Six bodies recovered during search for missing marines from sunken Thai warship - The Guardian

Thailand’s navy has discovered the bodies of six marines aft a tiny warship sank successful the Gulf of Thailand. One marine was rescued live connected Monday arsenic the subject mobilised helicopters, warships and unmanned drones disconnected its cardinal coast.

Twenty-three radical remained unaccounted for aft the HTMS Sukhothai was knocked implicit by four-metre waves and beardown winds precocious connected Sunday. Some were without beingness vests.

“The latest idiosyncratic was recovered 41 hours from erstwhile the vessel sank and helium was alive. So we judge that determination are those inactive live retired determination … we volition proceed to search,” said Admiral Chonlathis Navanugraha, the navy’s main of staff.

Helicopters, 2 unmanned surveillance aircraft, 4 warships and a C130 transport level were sent to find the marines arsenic the upwind improved.

The vas had suffered an motor malfunction arsenic it took connected h2o and went down astir 20 nautical miles disconnected the Bang Saphan district. The US-made corvette had been successful usage since 1987 and was carrying 105 subject personnel.

Most connected committee were rescued earlier the vessel sank but dozens had to wantonness vessel successful rafts and lifejackets.

Lieutenant Colonel Pichitchai Tuannadee, skipper of the sunken ship, said helium was successful the oversea for 2 hours earlier helium scrambled connected to a raft and was recovered by hunt teams connected Monday.

“To spot thing arsenic tiny arsenic a beingness ringing oregon a person’s caput supra the aboveground of the water, it’s precise hard to spot with the large waves,” helium said, adding that the missing sailors were apt to beryllium fatigued by present from having to tread h2o and marque definite those without vests stayed afloat.

One of the marines was recovered precocious connected Monday clinging to a buoy.

“He was floating successful the h2o for 10 hours. He was inactive conscious, truthful we could instrumentality him retired of the h2o safely,” said the commandant of 1 of the hunt vessels.

Relatives of the missing gathered astatine rescue centres awaiting quality of loved ones.

Malinee Pudphong, aunt of missing marine Saharat Esa, said she spoke to her nephew by telephone earlier the vessel went down and was shocked to perceive helium did not get a lifejacket.

“It’s a assemblage of a 21-year-old,” she said. “He’s not beardown enough.”

Navy main Admiral Choengchai Chomchoengpaet said the sinking would beryllium investigated, including reports that determination were not capable lifejackets connected board.