Over a year after the sinking of HTMS Sukhothai, a Rattanakosin-class warship, in the Gulf of Thailand near Prachuap Khiri Khan province on the night of December 18, 2022, the Thai Navy attributed the sinking of the ship and the deaths of 24 officers and men to an abrupt, unexpected, and severe change in weather and ocean conditions. Five individuals are still missing.
The Sukhothai was only designed to handle seas with a maximum height of 4 meters,” he said, and the 6-meter waves made it impossible for the captain to control the ship, ultimately leading to its sinking.
He stated that six other ships, including a 2,123-ton cargo freighter, also sank in the Gulf on that night and early next morning.
Admiral Adoong said that the crew aboard Sukhothai were unable to carry out their duties as usual in such conditions, and the dark and poor visibility hindered rescue operations. He added that rough seas would have scattered the crew over a wide area, making it challenging for them to survive in such extreme weather conditions.
Meanwhile, Rear Admiral Apirom Ngernbumroong, head of the Naval Science Department, revealed that after the sinking of the Sukhothai, the Thai Navy conducted four diving operations to examine the wreck, with the final one being a collaboration with the US Navy.
He stated that the fourth diving operation did not locate any sign of the five missing crew members, but did find that water entered the ship through the hull, causing it to tilt.
He also mentioned that a steel plate, meant to shield the ship from waves, was severely damaged.
