Thai and US navies to carry out ‘limited salvage’ of ‘HTMS Sukhothai’
The Thai and US navies revealed the details of a “limited” mission to salvage the HTMS Sukhothai during the upcoming Cobra Gold military exercise later this month.
The press event was held on Friday, presided over by Thai joint chief-of-staff General Thitichai Thienthong and US ambassador Robert F Godec, to provide details of the mission scheduled from February 19 to March 4, during the annual military exercise that will take place from February 27 to March 10.
Admiral Chatchai Thongsaard, commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Fleet, said that the mission would be a “light savage” carried out by Thai and US navies in the Gulf of Thailand, where the Sukhothai sank in December 2022 with the loss of 29 crew members.
He said the mission would cover the finding of five missing crew members, collecting of evidence from under the water for further investigation, permanently disabling US armaments fitted on the ship, and salvaging some equipment and armaments.
Participating in the mission are the “HTMS Rattanakosin”, two mine countermeasures ships, two patrol ships, 18 landing crafts mechanised, and 40 Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) officials from the Thai navy.
Meanwhile, the US Navy would send the Ocean Valor ship and 20 EOD officials for the mission.
Navy commander-in-chief Admiral Adung Phan-iam said last month that salvaging the vessel may not be necessary, suggesting that the wreck could be left in place as a memorial to the dead and missing crew members. He added that this would also save the cost of salvaging the ship.
Cobra Gold 2024, an annual multinational military exercise, is scheduled to take place from February 27 to March 10 across various locations in Thailand including the provinces of Lopburi, Chanthaburi, Sa Kaeo, and Rayong.
Seven nations will take part in the main war exercises this year – Thailand, the US, Singapore, Japan, Indonesia, South Korea, and Malaysia. Regional powers China, Australia, and India will participate on the sidelines in humanitarian aid exercises.
The US-built “HTMS Sukhothai”, commissioned by the Thai Navy in June 1987, sank during a storm off Prachuap Khiri Khan province on December 18, 2022. High winds and strong waves caused seawater to flood the warship, causing the engines to fail. Of the 105 crew on board, 76 were rescued, 24 were found dead and five are missing, presumed dead.
