Chawarit Chaiwong The Thai cargo ship, Mayuree Naree, was rocked by explosions in the volatile Strait of Hormuz, leaving three crew members missing and sending terrified sailors scrambling for safety. Crew member “Samut,” speaking under a pseudonym for security reasons, said the attack struck without warning as the vessel sailed through one of the world’s most dangerous maritime chokepoints. “I just heard the loud bang,” he recalled. “There were two loud bangs, back to back, maybe two seconds apart.” Within seconds, chaos gripped the 180-meter bulk carrier Mayuree Naree. Alarms blared across the vessel. Smoke filled the corridors. The entire ship briefly plunged into darkness before emergency power systems kicked in. Crew members had no idea who had fired the projectiles or where the attack had come from. “Once we were hit, we had no idea where the shots were coming from,” Samut said. Fearing another strike, sailors rushed straight to the bridge rather than venturing outside. When the captain carried out a headcount, the grim reality quickly emerged. Three crew members were missing. All had been working in the engine room, when a fire had broken out after the impact. Among them was 35-year-old Chawarit Chaiwong, a seafarer from Thailand’s Tak Province. His wife, Suchawadee Malikaeo, said her husband had worried about sailing through the strait long before the attack. Chawarit and Suchawadee Before the attack, the Mayuree Naree had been anchored near the United Arab Emirates while conflict intensified across the region. Days before the strike, he reported spotting a drone circling the ship. “He said it looked like a drone was scouting the vessel,” Suchawadee said. Despite the danger, the ship’s owners Precious Shipping decided on March 10 to push ahead with the risky transit. The vessel’s destination was Kandla, where it was scheduled to load rice. According to a source familiar with the planning, the captain was instructed to depart around midnight. The ship would travel at normal speed with unnecessary lights switched off and the Thai flag displayed prominently. The crew also had to check in with the company every 30 minutes via WhatsApp. Precious Shipping said it had conducted a full security assessment before authorizing the voyage. The company said maritime advisers, insurers and other stakeholders had been consulted before the decision was made. But some sailors remained uneasy about the journey. “I think they pushed us to leave because the ship costs money sitting at anchor,” Samut said. “They wanted to get us out of the war zone fast. But to get out, we had to sail right through the most dangerous spot.” Managing director Khalid Hashim rejected that suggestion. He said the vessel was operating under a time-period charter and could have remained anchored without extra cost to the company. “We were in no hurry to get the ship out,” he said. Still, the crew were asked to sign waivers acknowledging the heightened risks of sailing through a war zone. According to Samut, the sailors were essentially given a stark choice. “You either stay with the ship or you don’t.” Suchawadee said her husband felt uneasy but ultimately followed his fellow crew members. “He didn’t want to go at all,” she said. “But he didn’t want to stay behind alone if the rest of the team sailed.” As the vessel crossed the strait early that morning, disaster struck. Thailand’s transport minister Pipat Ratchakitprakarn said the stern was hit, triggering a fire in the engine room. The captain ordered the crew to abandon ship. They evacuated into lifeboats and were later rescued by the Omani Navy. The survivors were taken to Khasab, near the Strait. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said the ship had been fired upon after ignoring warnings and trying to pass through the waterway. Iranian officials also reported that another Liberian-flagged vessel was struck the same morning. According to the UK Maritime Trade Operations, more than 20 ships have reported incidents in the region since the war began. Twenty members of the Mayuree Naree crew were later flown back to Thailand on Monday. Officials said those returning were in good health and ready to resume their duties. But three sailors remain missing. The damaged ship itself is now drifting without power after explosions destroyed the engine systems. Its tracking signal stopped shortly after the attack. That means its location can no longer be monitored using the automatic identification system. Meanwhile, the search for the missing sailors continues. Thailand’s foreign minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow has contacted Iranian authorities to request help in rescue efforts. For the families waiting back home, the uncertainty is agonizing. “I miss him every single day,” Suchawadee said of her missing husband. “Every day I wonder if he’s hurt or if he’s had anything to eat.” She calls government officials daily, hoping for news. But so far, the answer has not changed. “They just say they don’t have any information.”
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