SONGKHLA: A shipwrecked fisherman was found floating in the sea roped to three dead crewmates about 30 hours after their trawler sank during a storm in the Gulf of Thailand.
HTMS Tor 992 brought Sia Soy, a Cambodian national, and the three dead crewmen to the Songkhla naval base on Wednesday night. They had been transferred from another fishing boat which rescued them from the sea.
The dead men were identified as Sommai Siengchok, the captain, and Sarote Mindo of Songkhla and Ron Leebrong from Cambodia. Another crew member was still missing, the survivor told navy officials.
Capt Natthakiat Monkhuntot, chief-of-staff of Royal Thai Navy Region 2 based in Songkhla, said they were alerted that the trawler Supsunan was sinking in the storm on Sunday, but because of the severe weather conditions were unable to send a vessel out to assist them.
The sinking trawler was reported to be about 30 nautical miles (55 kilometres) offshore from Songhkla province.
On Monday, Songkhla navy base was informed that another fishing boat had found four crew members from the distressed trawler and taken them on board.
Tor 992 commander Lt Natdanai Nammart said crew from the boat that found them said the sole survivor was floating in the sea roped to three dead crewmates. They had been in the water about 30 hours, kept together by the rope.
Huge seas, with heavy rain, in the southern region sunk at least two other vessels over the weekend. One was HTMS Sukhothai and the other a freighter. There is widespread flooding in southern provinces.
