New ‘Phoenix’ salvage team starts operations

PHOTO: Previous attempts of the salvage operations last August

A new salvage team has started work to bring the ‘Phoenix’ back to the surface with a one thousand tonne crane from Singapore.

Boat salvage operations started again yesterday morning with a specialist crane that had arrived from Singapore. The salvage is expected to be completed in five days according to newly appointed Immigration Bureau Maj-Gen Surachate Hakparn, starting yesterday.

Read more about the new salvage operation HERE.

The Phuket Marine Office Chief Wiwat Chitcherdwong says, “The new private sector contract started the salvage operation yesterday. This time a one thousand tonne crane from Singapore is being used instead of flotation tanks and air-bags as in the previous salvage operation.”

“The crane was not able to be used in the previous salvage operation because of strong winds and waves. Now Phuket is in the high season and the wind and waves are not as strong. So the operation is not struggling with the same conditions like the previous operation.”