The search for the five crewmen of the sunken HTMS Sukhothai who remain missing is still continuing, navy chief Adm Choengchai Chomchoengpaet said on Wednesday.
On Dec 18, high winds and strong waves caused seawater to flow into HTMS Sukhothai, a corvette of the Rattanakosin class of the Royal Thai Navy operating in the Gulf of Thailand off Bang Saphan district, Prachuap Khiri Khan province.
The flooding caused the engines to fail and the pumps became inoperable. The warship continued to take on water until the warship eventually sank.
The navy had so far rescued 76 sailors and found 24 dead, with five still missing.
The navy would continue with the search for the missing crewmen although it was now a month after the warship sank, Adm Choengchai said.
He said the sailors who lost their lives in this tragic incident are regarded by the navy as heroes who sacrificed their lives while on duty.
Their names will be included in the list of heroes on Thai Navy Memorial Day on Jan 17 next year, he added.
