Navy ‘still searching’ for ship crew

The Royal Thai Navy is still searching for the last five missing crew members of the HTMS Sukhothai, which sunk a month ago, said navy chief Adm Choengchai Chomchoengpaet. The navy has already rescued 76 sailors and found 24 dead.

Adm Choengchai said yesterday that the navy will continue searching for the missing crewmen, although it has now been a month after the warship sank. He said the sailors who lost their lives in this tragic incident are regarded by the navy as national heroes who sacrificed their lives while on duty.

Their names will be included in the list of heroes on Thai Navy Memorial Day on Jan 17 next year. Also, Adm Choengchai said that a salvage operation would be initiated in April when tidal currents are calm.

Meanwhile, Move Forward Party MP Phicharn Chaowapatanawong said the navy has not yet submitted the documents sought on HTMS Sukhothai to the House committee on military affairs.

On Dec 22 last year, the House committee requested documents from the navy about the ship’s maintenance details from 1997 until now.

Of the eight documents requested, the navy only submitted two, added Mr Picharn.

“We would like to see if the maintenance of the HTMS Sukhothai was conducted to standard as news sources and the public have speculated the warship might not have been in optimal condition for operation,” he said.

The House committee also asked about the findings of a probe into the sinking of the HTMS Sukhothai, which has also not yet been revealed by the navy.

Mr Picharn said the House committee will meet navy officials today at Parliament House for further updates.