Vehicle Plunges into the Sea at Map Ta Phut Pier, Search for Missing Driver

[Georgealbert]

 

Pictures from responders.

 

A rescue operation took place overnight, at Map Ta Phut Pier after a pick-up truck plunged into the sea at 23.30 on 16 February. The driver is believed to have been inside the vehicle when it sank, and emergency teams have worked all night, to locate both the missing person and the submerged truck.

 

The incident occurred near a cooling water drainage canal behind the Map Ta Phut Industrial Estate. Witnesses reported seeing a Nissan pick-up truck speeding before crashing into a lamppost and breaking through a metal guardrail, eventually plummeting into the water.

 

When rescue teams arrived at the scene, they discovered vehicle debris, including a number plate and a section of the front grille, scattered along the shoreline. Skid marks and damage to the concrete embankment suggested a high-impact collision before the vehicle entered the water.

 

Initial search efforts were hampered by strong currents and rough sea conditions, making it difficult for divers. Authorities believe the truck may have been swept towards a sluice gate before drifting into the open sea. Seven rescue boats and jet skis have been deployed, along with sonar equipment, in an attempt to pinpoint the vehicle’s location.

As of the morning of 17 February, rescue teams continue to search the area, with officials urging local fishermen and boat operators to report any sightings that could aid in the recovery operation.

 

The search for the missing driver remains a top priority, with authorities also committed to recovering the vehicle and determining the full circumstances of the incident.

 

-- 2025-02-17

 

[JoePai]

Muppet looking at his (wrong) GPS ?

 

[Georgealbert]

UPDATE
Body Found Washed Ashore After Pickup Plunges Into Sea Near Mab Ta Phut

Pictures from responders.

 

A body has been discovered washed up on a beach in Rayong after a Nissan pickup truck plunged into the sea and was quickly swept away by strong waves. The incident occurred as the driver was on his way home after work.

 

On the evening of February 16, fishermen reported seeing a silver Nissan pickup truck with license plate from Bangkok, fall into the sea near the Mab Ta Phut Industrial Estate, located on Highway I-1 in Tambon Mab Ta Phut, Mueang District, Rayong. The vehicle disappeared rapidly, sinking beneath the waves amid rough weather conditions.

 

Authorities investigating the scene found vehicle parts and a license plate, as well as traces of the truck’s skid marks leading to the water. Rescue divers from Sawang Phorakhan and a local diving team launched an overnight search for the vehicle and the driver.

 

At 12:30 on February 17, officers received reports that a body had been found washed ashore near the Mab Ta Phut Industrial Estate. Upon arrival, police confirmed the body was that of the 52-year-old driver, Phichai Suphanmok, who worked as an excavator operator at a local company. The body was identified by his clothes, a long-sleeved plaid shirt, black trousers, and grey sneakers. His body were sent to Chaloem Phra Kiat Hospital in Mab Ta Phut for a post-mortem examination.

The truck was located about 1 kilometre from where it had fallen into the sea, resting on the seabed approximately 6 meters deep. The vehicle had been carried from the point of entry by the waves. 

 

Authorities later brought in a crane on a barge to complete the recovery operation, with the pickup being raised and  recovered, as part of the investigation.

 

 

-- 2025-02-18