US military to investigate 2022 Thai warship sinking that killed 24

News outlet Thai PBS reports that the Royal Thai Navy will allow US military officials to investigate the sinking of one of its vessels in an incident that left at least 24 people dead in late 2022.

Navy commander-in-chief Admiral Adung Phan-iam confirmed that US officials have been permitted to investigate the loss of the corvette HTMS Sukhothai in stormy weather in the Gulf of Thailand off the coast of Prachuap Khiri Khan province on the late evening (local time) of December 18, 2022.

The corvette had suffered water ingress that caused it to list more than 60 degrees to port. It later lost power after the onboard electrical system short-circuited due to flooding.

The ship then went adrift and was tossed about by large waves before eventually sinking. Seventy-six of the crew were rescued while 24 others perished in the incident.

Another five crewmembers are presumed dead as no traces of their bodies were ever found.

The team of investigators will arrive in Thailand later this month to conduct a survey of Sukhothai‘s wreckage, which lies at a depth of 40 metres.

This new investigation will be undertaken in fulfillment of a request by the Joint US Military Advisory Group Thailand (JUSMAGTHAI).