Thai Navy rescues all 10 crew from Cambodian cargo ship sunk off Phuket, while local barge crew still missing.
PHUKET: All 10 crewmen from the Cambodian cargo ship Sinaran Andaman that sunk off Phuket earlier today have been safely recovered by the Royal Thai Navy.
A Navy helicopter was called in after efforts by the Marine Police to rescue the men from their lifeboat were unsuccessful as the lifeboat tossed dangerously close to rocks off koh Hei (Coral Island), just five kilometres from Phuket. (See story here.)
After several successful airlifts to safety, the crew – comprising at least one Burmese, one Indonesian and several Cambodians – were taken on board a launch then transferred to the Marine Police boat the Ploypailin.
All 10 crewmen are alive and well. They have been given immediate first aid and will receive will receive further medical attention at Vachira Hospital after they have returned to Phuket at Ao Makham, Marine Police reported.
Read more here – Cambodian cargo ship crew rescued off Phuket
Barge Crew still missing – weather hampers search
“The vessel, a 200 ton barge 20 metres wide and 49m long, sank about five nautical miles off Koh Racha Yai at about 3:50am,” Vice-Admiral Sayan Prasongsamrej, Commander of the Third Naval Area, told The Phuket News late this afternoon.
The barge apparently suffered engine failure and was soon overcome by the heavy seas, with winds whipping up to 50kmh and waves reaching heights of four metres.
See the full story here – Weather hampers search for missing Phuket crew