Within three weeks, the Navy must record a friendly fire incident that injured 14 sailors.
PUBLISHED: 15 Mar 2024 at 20: 52
Defence Minister Sutin Klungsang says he thinks the incident that occurred on Thursday when a ship accidentally fired an artillery tank at HTMS Khirirat was an injury.
The army is presently looking into the cause, according to Mr. Sutin. Those involved in the incident may be punished, he added.
When both ships were docked at the Sattahip Naval Base in Chon Buri state on Thursday morning at 11.45 am, HTMS Chonburi unknowingly fired a shell at HTMS Khirirat, which set off a little fire on HTMS Khirirat.
An initial investigation revealed that HTMS Chonburi had returned from a fire drilling on Wednesday to its bottom for repairs because one of its weapons had a malfunctioning round still in its cylinder. The round was accidentally discharged during the inspection and hit the severe of HTMS Khirirat.
In response to the media’s censure of the navy’s carelessness and the injuries of 14 seamen, Mr. Sutin said officers felt guilty for what had transpired. He warned that a similar situation may not occur suddenly.
Rear Adm Veerudom Muangjin, a military official, stated that Admiral Chartchai Thongsa-ard, the captain of the Royal Thai Fleet, is in charge of the research into the incident and that a preliminary statement will be released in three days.
Adm Adoong Pan- iam, the army general, on Friday visited the 14 wounded sailors at Somdech Phra Nangchao Sirikit Hospital in Sattahip.
Rear Adm Veerudom stated that five seafarers will be on nearby watch while nine of the hospital’s nine sailors are receiving therapy for minor wounds.
On the guard ship HTMS Khirirat, all the deaths were stationed. During the event, they inhaled dust.