At least 31 Thai marines are missing after their warship capsized in rough waters in the Gulf of Thailand on Dec. 18, prompting the military to dispatch ships and helicopters for search operations.
The Royal Thai Navy (RTN) announced on Twitter that the HTMS Sukhothai was patrolling 20 miles from the pier at Bangsaphan district in Prachuap Khiri Khan province when the incident occurred on Dec. 18.
Thai officials said 75 marines were rescued, 11 of whom were being treated in the hospital, while 31 marines remained missing as of Dec. 19.
The RTN said it deployed three naval vessels and two helicopters to rescue the marines, but the high waves hampered rescue efforts.
Thailand’s Meteorological Department had issued a weather advisory for the general area just a few hours before the accident, saying that waves in the Gulf of Thailand were expected to be 2 to 4 meters (7 to 13 feet) high with thundershowers. It suggested that all ships “proceed with caution” and warned small craft not to go to sea until Dec. 20.
The Sukhothai was built in Tacoma, Washington, and commissioned in 1987. With a maximum displacement of 959 tons and a length of 76.8 meters (252 feet), it’s about midsize for a corvette, a type of armed vessel that typically is used for patrolling close offshore waters.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
