Buddha sculpture found in Thai-US navy salvage operation of sunken HTMS Sukhothai
The collaborative salvage operation between the Royal Thai Navy and the United States Navy unearthed a Buddha sculpture and several documents from the sunken HTMS Sukhothai on its third day. This information was relayed by Royal Admiral Veerudom Muangjin, a spokesperson for the Royal Thai Navy, who shared that these items were found by a combined diving team near the primary engine’s hatch.
The plan for the day’s operation involved the diving team venturing into the captain’s room and other onboard cabins in four separate dives. The retrieved Buddha statue and documents from the vessel’s bridge are set for further investigation, according to Veerudom.
Veerudom also revealed a photograph of the Buddha statue, demonstrating that it remained in good condition.
HTMS Sukhothai met its unfortunate fate in the Gulf of Thailand on December 19, 2022. Of the 105 crew members on board, 76 were successfully rescued, 24 tragically lost their lives, and the whereabouts of five others are still unaccounted for, reported Bangkok Post.
The US Navy’s Ocean Valor, an offshore supply ship, commenced the salvage operation on February 22, involving 49 divers from both Thailand and America. This initiative is part of the US Navy’s Cobra Gold joint military exercise. The unearthing of the Buddha sculpture is deemed significant, especially after the recovery of the sunken ship’s nameplate on February 23, the second day of the operation.
Reflecting on the day’s undertakings, Veerudom stated that the focus was on surveying and photographing evidence around the ship, as well as hoisting specific external equipment to the surface. The operation was partitioned into six dives.
In a surprising turn of events, Royal Thai Navy Chief Admiral Adoong Pan-iam instructed Vice Admiral Prakob Suksamai, Royal Thai Navy Comptroller General, to return a 90 million-baht budget for the operation to the government. This repurposed fund is intended to serve as financial assistance for the public, as disclosed by Veerudom.
