Authorities in southern Thailand launched an urgent rescue operation after a fishing vessel, identified as W. Thap Chanon, sank following a collision with a large ocean-going ship in the early hours of the morning. The accident occurred on March 9, approximately 70 to 80 miles off the coast between Songkhla and Nakhon Si Thammarat.
The vessel, which departed from Pattani Province on March 8 with a nine-member crew, sent a distress call around 2:00 a.m. via satellite phone, reporting the collision and imminent sinking. Communication with the crew was subsequently lost, leading officials to believe the boat had gone down at sea. The coordinates of the incident were recorded at latitude 8°17′ north and longitude 101°11.5′ east.
Onboard were the captain, 59-year-old Wiravat Thao Mei, his son and boat mechanic, 29-year-old Thanawat Thao Mei, along with crew member Watcharapong Kaewkam, 23, and six additional workers—three from Cambodia and three from Myanmar. Before their departure, authorities had conducted inspections and recorded their details.
A coordinated search effort was swiftly launched by the Nakhon Si Thammarat Marine Department and the Royal Thai Navy’s Second Naval Area. By 10:00 a.m., a helicopter dispatched from the Naval Area 2 Base successfully located and rescued all nine crew members from the sea. The rescued individuals were being transported back to shore, with the helicopter expected to arrive at the Songkhla Naval Base by 11:00 a.m.
Vice Admiral Res Wongtrakul, commander of the Second Naval Area, oversaw the search and rescue operation, which involved both aircraft and naval vessels. Officials continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the collision.
