American made Royal Thai Navy ship It sank in the Gulf of Thailand on Monday, prompting an hours-long search with helicopters still searching to find at least 30 missing sailors.
Rescuers have already recovered 75 sailors from HTMS Sukothai, a warship originally built in Tacoma, Washington. The waves in the bay were reportedly over 3 meters, or nearly 10 feet, high. The ship sailed under the circumstances though Bad weather warnings And waves up to 4 meters high, according to the Associated Press.
A rescued sailor told Thai media that he floated in the water for three hours before being pulled out.
Rescue workers say high waves make it impossible to search for sailors sideways, requiring helicopters to search from above with floodlights.
The Israeli navy sinks a Palestinian ship allegedly landing on Hamas ‘equipment’
The warship HTMS Sukhothai lists off the coast of Prachuap Khiri Khan province, Thailand, on Sunday, December 18, 2022. The Thai Navy ship sank in the Gulf of Thailand, and ships and helicopters were working Monday to rescue sailors from the water.
(Royal Thai Navy via AP)
The Royal Thai Navy has released video captured as the HTMS Sukhothai cruiser lists before it sank Sunday. The search continues for at least 30 missing sailors.
(Royal Thai Navy)
Reports say that strong winds and high waves caused water to splash on the deck, disrupting its electrical system. With the ship running low on power, sailors were unable to pump water out of the ship, causing it to list hard and then sink, according to the Associated Press.
Click here for the FOX NEWS app
Sukhothai was commissioned in 1987, had a length of 252 feet and a water displacement of 959 tons. The Thai authorities plan to salvage what they can from the ship after the rescue efforts are completed.
“Incurable bacon nerd. Lifelong tv aficionado. Writer. Award-winning explorer. Evil web buff. Amateur pop culture ninja.”