2 more bodies of HTMS Sukhothai crew found on Sunday
Two more bodies were found near the wreckage of the doomed HTMS Sukhothai and retrieved on Sunday afternoon, the Royal Thai Navy said.
Vice Admiral Pichai Lorchusakul, commander of Naval Area 1, announced at 2.10pm that the retrieval of these two bodies brought the number of missing crew down to 12.
The new bodies were definitely those of HTMS crew as they were wearing sailors’ uniforms, he said.
One body was spotted by HTMS Naresuan and the other by a local fisherman near Koh Phai in Chumphon’s Pathiew district.
Pichai added that the two bodies would be sent to a foundation in Prachuap Khiri Khan for identification before they are handed over to relatives for funeral rites.
The ill-fated HTMS Sukhothai was carrying 105 crew when it was hit by giant waves and capsized off the coast of Prachuap Khiri Khan’s Bang Saphan district on December 18.
Rescue operations managed to save 76 sailors, while 29 were initially declared missing. Six bodies were retrieved and identified in the first few days. One body was found on Friday and eight more were retrieved on Saturday. As of press time, 12 were still missing.
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