Fishing Boat Sinks in Gulf of Thailand After Collision with Cargo Ship

[Georgealbert]

 

Picture of the rescued crew.

 

A fishing vessel sank in the Gulf of Thailand early morning on 9 March, after being struck by a cargo ship, prompting a dramatic rescue operation. Nine crew members, including both Thai and foreign nationals, were found floating in the open sea before being airlifted to safety by the Royal Thai Navy.

 

The incident occurred at approximately 02:00, when the fishing boat W. Supachanon sent a distress call via satellite phone. The crew reported that their vessel had been struck by a large merchant ship and was taking on water. Shortly after, communication was lost, leading authorities to believe the boat had sunk.

 

The collision took place around 80 nautical miles off the coast of Songkhla and Nakhon Si Thammarat. The exact coordinates were reported as latitude 8°17.000’ N, longitude 101°11.500’ E.

 

The fishing boat had departed from Pattani on 8 March with nine crew members on board. The captain, Veerawat Thaomae, 59, and his son, Thanawat Thaomae, 29, who was the ship’s engineer, were among the survivors. Also on board was Watcharapong Kaewkham, 23, along with six foreign crew members, three from Cambodia and three from Myanmar. All had been cleared by authorities before setting sail.

 

Upon receiving the distress call, the Royal Thai Navy’s Second Naval Area Command launched an immediate search-and-rescue mission. Vice Admiral Nares Wongtrakul, the navy commander in charge, dispatched aircraft and naval vessels from the regional base.

 

 

By 10:00 a navy helicopter successfully located the stranded crew members floating in the sea and airlifted all nine to safety. They were transported back to Songkhla Naval Base.

 

Authorities have yet to identify the cargo ship involved in the collision. Investigators will interview the rescued crew and review maritime traffic records to determine the circumstances of the crash.

 

This incident highlights the ongoing risks faced by fishing crews in Thai waters and raises concerns over maritime safety regulations and ship navigation protocols in the Gulf of Thailand.

 

-- 2025-03-10

 

[dddave]

Nice flying.  My nephew is a member of a similar US Coast Guard Helicopter crew in Alaska.  He's sent a few amazing videos of rescues in pretty rough and cold waters.