BANGKOK: The Royal Thai Navy (RTN) and its US counterpart will on Thursday (Feb 22) start their mission to search and decommission hazardous materials on board the ill-fated HTMS Sukhothai (pic), RTN chief Admiral Adung Phan-iam said on Monday (Feb 19).
The mission is part of the light salvage mission by the Thai and US navies in the Gulf of Thailand, where the Sukhothai sank in December 2022 with the loss of 29 crew members. The mission is expected to be concluded on March 14.
The RTN on Monday held a religious ceremony at the Shrine of the Prince of Chumphon in Chumphon’s Muang district to boost the morale of RTN personnel participating in the mission as well as to ensure their safety.
Admiral Prince Abhakara Kiartivongse, Prince of Chumphon, a son of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V), was revered as “The Father of the Thai Navy”.
Adung said the seek and decommission mission covers four parts. The first part is planning, equipment checking and diving practice with personnel of the US Navy.
The second part is searching for the remains of missing personnel in and around the wreckage.
The third part is decommissioning dangerous materials, collecting equipment and armaments, as well as objects of sentimental value from the ship.
The fourth part covers debriefing and transporting of collected items to the shore.
The US-built HTMS Sukhothai, commissioned by the Thai Navy in June 1987, sank during a storm off Prachuap Khiri Khan province on December 18, 2022.
High winds and strong waves caused seawater to flood the warship, causing the engines to fail. Of the 105 crew on board, 76 were rescued, 24 were found dead and five are missing, presumed dead. - The Nation/ANN
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