‘Sukhothai’ salvage operation ends, memorial planned

'Sukhothai' salvage operation ends, memorial planned
A team takes a photo with some of the things retrieved from the sunk HTMS ‘ Sukhothai’. The 19- time recover activity between the Thai and US warships drew to a nearby on Tuesday. ( Photo: Royal Thai Navy )

PRACHUAP KhIRI KHAN: The Royal Thai Navy (RTN) announced on Tuesday the close of a 19- time procedure to recover the sunk HTMS Sukhothai, with the next step being the establishment of a memorial monument.

The vehicle sank in the Gulf of Thailand on Dec 19, 2022. Of the 105 people on board, 76 were rescued, 24 were found useless, and five remain missing.

The rescue operation by the US Navy’s Ocean Valor kicked off on Feb 22 as part of the US Navy’s Cobra Gold combined military training.

The procedure wrapped off on Monday after 67 hours and 53 minutes ‘ administrative time, said Adm Chartchai Thongsa- artwork, Commanding General of the Operation Squadron and director of the operation.

The ship was sunk at a level of 50 feet, some 36.9 km, or 22 nautical kilometers, from territory in Bang Saphan area.

No substance or fuel leak was reported, according to Adm Chartchai.

During the rescue operation, the army established an Activity Centre at the Port Office. The arteries involved in the operation included the Ocean Valor, seven Please boats, and two planes.

The fishermen were divided into two groups. The first consisted of 14 fishermen, seven each from the RTN and US Navy, who dove with exterior provide air tools and used the Ocean Valor as their foundation. The other consisted of 40 dive fishermen from the RTN, with HTMS Mannai as their foundation.

All swimmers, after conducting a total of 82 jumps or 67 time and 53 moments under, were reported secure, said Adm Chartchai.

Four operations were conducted during the rescue operation, including finding the bones of five team users, investigating the boat’s mechanics, disarming weapons, and retrieving romantic items.

Adm Chartchai said that 58 pieces of evidence were safely retrieved. But, no remains of the missing men were found during the operation.

The Ocean Valor, which retrieved all the items, transported them to the Juk Samet Port of Sattahip Naval Base on Tuesday for research. The frigate’s Camera images may take at least a month, according to Adm. Chartchai.

According to Adm. Chartchai, a memorial monument will be constructed in Chon Buri’s Sattahip city.

He claimed that this will honor the sailors who were aboard the ship when it sank.

This activity, according to Robert F. Godec, the US embassy to Thailand, was yet another illustration of how the RTN and US Navy work up properly.