Thai Warship Capsizes
HTMS Sukhothai in extremis
A corvette operated by the Royal Thai Navy, HTMS Sukhothai, came to grief early Monday. 33 crewmembers are listed as missing. Severe weather was a factor. The crew fought for several hours to save their ship but to no avail. AW1 Rod sends.
Survivor found after Thai warship sinks, but dozens remain missing
Justin Klawans, Staff writer
A Royal Thai Navy warship sank in severe weather early Monday, leaving 33 of its crew of 106 sailors missing in stormy seas in the Gulf of Thailand, Thai authorities said.
Three rescued sailors were in critical condition, and a search operation was underway for the missing crew, authorities said.
Strong winds tilted the 252-foot (76.8-meter) long corvette HTMS Sukhothai, allowing sea water to enter an exhaust pipe and subsequently shut down the ship’s electrical system, a Thai navy statement said.
The electrical shutdown caused the ship’s main power systems to fail, leaving the crew unable to maneuver or pump out sea water that had entered its hull, it said.
Over the course of more than three hours, efforts to transfer pumps to the Sukhothai from other naval vessels responding to the incident failed, the statement said.
“At 00.12 am of Monday, the Sukhothai tiled even further and later sank,” it said.
The severe weather in the Gulf of Thailand, about 20 miles (32 kilometers) from Bang Saphan District, Prachuap Khiri Khan province, continued into late Monday morning, hampering search efforts for the missing crew, authorities said.
It usually takes a series of factors to result in a horrific incident like this. What those may be are best determined by official accident investigations, not talking heads on CNN. Thanks, Rod.
Category: Fair Winds and Following Seas, Guest Link, Navy, Training Incidents
I saw that picture before but it didn’t have info. I thought it was some commercial vessel. I have to wonder about the Capt and bridge crew experience. It seems to me that basic seamanship would call for facing into the wind and waves rather than being broadside and subject to uncontrolled lean. Nope not a sailor, just conjecture on my part.
I hope the find the rest of the crew.
Concur. Insufficient ballast and poor ship handling.
Boy Scouts taught me to never put your canoe broadside to the waves.
I had the unfortunate experience of being in a 42 knot (48 mph – for the mud sluggers here) gale (a really high wind – for the ankle biters here) on a 38′ purse seiner (a fishing boat for the landlubbers here). Kept her (the ship’s preferred pronoun) into the wind and managed to get through it. Two other boats were lost that day. Fortunately, we still had our net in the hold (a below deck storage place – for you know who) while sailing (even Army guys should know this nautical term) which provided ballast (like the weight in an Army guys butt).
Glenn Defense Marine Asia strikes again?
Prayers for the missing and injured crew members.
I may be a ground pounder, but the ground doesn’t often overwhelm me like waves do. Wind will get you regardless of where you are.
Tough series of events. God save the crew.
Somebody(ies) phuqued up. Prayers for the lost Sailors. The sea will try very hard to kill you.
Another good thing about being a dirt digging doggy. You don’t need a Mae West or a SAR when your fighting position gets wet.
D’oh! –Homer Simpson
Metacentre of a ship is a thing that REALLY matters in high sea states. Obviously the Thai warship lost the bubble on where it was at. Maybe poor seamanship but sometimes you do everything right and the sea takes you anyway.
Sounds like the crew tried to save the ship and sadly failed.
Rest your oars…
Yup. Another very poignant example if why it’s extremely important to keep the ocean out of the people tank.
Thanks Chief.