Five bodies have been found and one survivor was rescued Tuesday, after the sinking of a naval vessel two days ago in the Gulf of Thailand, the Thai navy said.
Seventy-six sailors from the HTMS Sukhothai have been hauled from the sea after the vessel went down late Sunday roughly 37 kilometres (22 miles) off the country’s southeastern coast.
There were 24 personnel still missing, a navy spokesperson said.
Helicopters, two planes, and four ships — the HTMS Kraburi, HTMS Angthong, HTMS Naresuan and HTMS Bhumibol Adulyadej — continued searching for survivors on Tuesday.
The bodies of four men were recovered, commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Navy Choengchai Chomchoengpaet told a press conference in Bangkok.
The navy later revised the toll upwards to five dead.
“We will keep going until the mission is complete and we bring our people back,” Choengchai said.
The Sukhothai was carrying extra personnel as it was joining an anniversary celebration of the navy’s founder, he said, admitting that there were insufficient life jackets onboard.
“Having a life vest doesn’t mean you won’t die,” he said.
Admiral Chonlathis Navanugraha called the incident “one of the most severe tragedies” in the navy’s history.
