Thread: HTMS Sukhothai reported sunk in Gulf of Thailand

Originally Posted by misskit

The chief of Royal Thai Navy, meanwhile, denied local reports that the U.S. had forced it to give up a contract with a Chinese-linked company to fully salvage the corvette from the 50 meters-deep seafloor.

Lie

Originally Posted by misskit

“The U.S. Navy’s offer came properly and it has nothing to do with any Chinese company,” commander of the Royal Thai Fleet, Adm. Chatchai Tongsaard, said at the same conference.

Lie

Originally Posted by misskit

He added that the delay was due to the Thai Navy miscalculating its ability to perform the salvage on its own.

Lie

Originally Posted by misskit

The Thai Navy is contributing several vessels and 40 Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) officials

to add to the body count

Originally Posted by misskit

while the US Navy is providing the Ocean Valor ship and 20 EOD officials for the operation.

standing off 1/2 a nautilcal mile whilst the Thai EOD officials clown around to Benny Hill music

Operation to assess salvaging of Sukhothai corvette to begin on February 21

The Thai and US navies will launch a joint operation on February 21, to explore the sunken Sukhothai corvette, to destroy the remaining ammunition and, if possible, to salvage the ship, Admiral Adung Phan-iam, the commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Navy, said today.


The ship sank off the coast of Prachuap Khiri Khan on the night of December 19th, 2022. Of the 106 officers and men on board, 24 died and 75 were rescued. Five naval officers are still unaccounted for after extensive searches.


Admiral Adung said that the RTN wanted to salvage the ship by itself, but could not because it lacks the necessary equipment and has had to seek help from the US navy, after the RTN was reminded by the US of its commitment, under the military sale agreement, that all the ammunition on board the Sukhothai must be destroyed.


The exploration and salvage operation is timed to take place during the annual Cobra Gold exercise, involving Thailand, the US and some other allies.


Admiral Adung said that there are two tasks yet to be completed. Five missing naval officers are still unaccounted for and material evidence must be secured to determine the exact cause of the ship’s sinking, which will put an end to the case.


He said that all the ammunition belonging to the US and to the RTN, which may pose a danger, will be destroyed.


The admiral admitted that the RTN has been bombarded with many questions pertaining to the ill-fated Sukhothai corvette, including why the RTN has not salvaged the vessel.


He offered an assurance of transparency, saying that the media will be invited to witness the launch of the operation, including the undersea operation, and the public will be informed of the progress.

Operation to assess salvaging of Sukhothai corvette to begin on February 21 | Thai PBS World : The latest Thai news in English, News Headlines, World News and News Broadcasts in both Thai and English. We bring Thailand to the world

Salvage Mission Retrieves HTMS Sukhothai’s Nameplate

The joint Thai and US naval operation successfully retrieved the nameplate of the sunken HTMS Sukhothai on its second day (Feb 23) as part of a 19-day effort under the Cobra Gold military exercise. This mission is held with the aim to investigate the cause of the sinking in the Gulf of Thailand on December 19, 2022, which resulted in 24 deaths from the 105 crew members, with 76 rescued and five missing.


The operation includes detailed surveys of the ship, the removal of its nameplate, and inspections of structural damages. The Thai navy's contribution includes 35 divers, two minesweepers, and a medium-seagoing watercraft, complemented by the US's Ocean Valor and 14 divers. Initial attempts to retrieve the nameplate were unsuccessful, but the mission continued with the goal of documenting the wreck for investigation and, later, removing hazardous materials and weapons.


Navy Chief Admiral Adung Phan-iam assured that the mission's findings would provide more clarity on the incident and thanked the US Navy for its assistance. He also highlighted the need for meticulous selection of salvage contractors due to the HTMS Sukhothai's origins in the US and its advanced weaponry, which are monitored for end-use.

https://thainews.prd.go.th/nbtworld/.../118624/?bid=1

Sudden change in sea conditions blamed for foundering of HTMS Sukhothai

More than a year after the sinking of HTMS Sukhothai, a Rattanakosin-class corvette, in the Gulf of Thailand off Prachuap Khiri Khan province on the night of December 18, 2022, the Thai Navy has blamed a sudden, unexpected and extreme change in weather and sea conditions for the foundering of the vessel and the deaths of 24 officers and men. Five are still unaccounted for.


The Sukhothai was only rated for navigating in seas of up to a maximum of 4 meters,” he said, adding that the 6-meter waves made it impossible for the captain to control the vessel, eventually resulting in its sinking.


He claimed that six other vessels, including a 2,123-tonne cargo freighter, also sank in the Gulf on that night and early next morning.


Admiral Adoong said that the crew on board Sukhothai were unable to perform their duties as normal in such conditions and it was dark with poor visibility, which hampered rescue operations. He added heavy seas would have scattered the crew over a wide area, making it difficult for them to survive under such extreme weather conditions.


Meanwhile, Rear Admiral Apirom Ngernbumroong, chief of the Naval Science Department, disclosed that, after the sinking of the Sukhothai, the Thai Navy conducted four diving operations to survey the wreck, the last one being in cooperation with US Navy.


He said the fourth diving operation did not find any trace of the five missing crew, but did discover that water leaked into vessel through the hull, causing the vessel to list.


He also reported that a steel plate, intended to protect the vessel against waves, was severely damaged.

Sudden change in sea conditions blamed for foundering of HTMS Sukhothai | Thai PBS World : The latest Thai news in English, News Headlines, World News and News Broadcasts in both Thai and English. We bring Thailand to the world

The Sukhothai was only rated for navigating in seas of up to a maximum of 4 meters,” he said, adding that the 6-meter waves made it impossible for the captain to control the vessel, eventually resulting in its sinking.

About those six metre waves . . .


Not the hole in the hull brought about by poor repairs

steel plate, intended to protect the vessel against waves, was severely damaged

Former captain of sunken HTMS Sukhothai tenders resignation

The former captain of the ill-fated HTMS Sukhothai, a Rattanakosin-class corvette, has offered his resignation, which will take effect as soon as he completes the 15 day detention, imposed by the Navy for the sinking of the vessel in rough seas in the Gulf of Thailand on the night of December 18, 2022.


Twenty-four of the ship’s complement died and five others are still unaccounted for.


Commander Pichitchai Thuennadee, the former captain, offered his deep condolences, once again, to the families of those who died or are still missing, as soon the results of the RTN’s year-long investigation into the loss of the vessel were published at a press conference held Tuesday.


Commander Pichitchai said that he would like to reiterate that this was a tragic accident and every member of the crew, including himself, had tried their utmost in an extreme situation, which went beyond their control.


In his capacity as the captain of the vessel, Pichitchai said that he had assessed the situation on the night of December 18 and made the decision to order the vessel to head back to Sattahip naval base, because the ship was under control at that time.


He claimed, however, that the weather and sea conditions changed for the worse very quickly which, in hindsight, means he may not have been cautious enough.


On Tuesday, the Navy blamed the sinking on a sudden charge in the weather and sea conditions, resulting in waves as high as six metres, making it impossible to control the vessel which, eventually, took on water and began to list and then sink.


Pichitchai said that he takes full responsibility for the tragic incident and will accept any consequences his superiors decide are appropriate. When everything is settled, he said he will leave naval service.


He maintains that he has decided to quit of his own free will, without pressure, and that the Navy’s findings on the tragic loss are transparent.

Former captain of sunken HTMS Sukhothai tenders resignation | Thai PBS World : The latest Thai news in English, News Headlines, World News and News Broadcasts in both Thai and English. We bring Thailand to the world

Not them leaving doors open because they were too lazy to open and close them every time they passed through.

A sea state with waves approaching six metres in height is insufficient to trouble a corvette of 1000 tons and 252 ft in length if prepared properly.

More obfuscation from the Thai? Gosh, whoudda thunk it.

Heaven forbid that anyone would have the bad manners to apportion blame according to truth.

The notion that the vessel was only rated to follow a passage with a maximum expected wave height of 4 metres is of course preposterous.

Originally Posted by misskit

Pichitchai said that he takes full responsibility for the tragic incident and will accept any consequences his superiors decide are appropriate.

He doesn't really have any other choice does he?