Thai crew saved from sinking cargo ship in Cambodian waters

Ten Thai crew members were rescued from a sinking cargo ship off the coast of Cambodia on Sunday. The harrowing ordeal unfolded on June 8 between Vang and Manas islands in Koh Ko Cang province.

The Thai cargo vessel, en route to Cambodia, mysteriously sank, plunging its crew into peril. The cause of the sinking remains a mystery but preliminary reports suggest that water ingress at the front of the ship might be to blame.

Heroic efforts by local authorities and a volunteer rescue team from Sihanoukville ensured the safety of all ten crew members. They were swiftly transported to Sihanoukville by speedboat and are now recovering in a hotel near the Sihanoukville Autonomous Port, said a local official in Preah Sihanouk.

“We will inform the Thai Embassy in Cambodia to file the necessary documents with the General Department of Immigration, as the sinking destroyed all their paperwork.”

The rescued crew members, aged between 30 and 70, were identified as Sopon Wantong, Sorasak Sasrimuang, Santina Nagara, Preecha Panchoo, Prakob Vechkit, Adisak Boonkun, Daurang Palnak, Santi Boonya, Arichai Jairak, and Worrathun Chimsawat, added the local official.

Despite the calm seas at the time, the ship succumbed to the unexpected flooding, reported Thai PBS World.

“Experts will further investigate the incident to determine the exact cause.”

In related news, a fishing umbrella boat capsized near Laem Chabang Port in Chon Buri Province on June 5, leaving one crew member missing, feared drowned. The incident occurred around 1.2 nautical miles from the mouth of the Banglamung Canal. The vessel, carrying two people, encountered trouble due to a leak and was overturned by strong waves.

In other news, a probe has been ordered by Thailand’s Transport Ministry into a boat crash that injured four Chinese tourists near Tha Tien pier last Friday afternoon. The incident occurred around 4pm on the Chao Phraya River in Phra Nakhon district when a long-tailed tour boat collided with a Royal Thai Navy (RTN) ferry.