TRAT - The body of a third crew member of a fishing boat that capsized off the coast of this eastern province more than a week ago has been found floating in the Gulf of Thailand, with two crew still unaccounted for and believed dead.
The body of Cambodian Wanthong Nuan, 44, the engineer on the fishing boat Choke Kanya, was found about 80 kilometres from where the boat sank in stormy seas on July 10, according to volunteer rescuer Chakrit Sangpart.
The 17-gross-tonne trawler carried a crew of five, a Thai captain and four Cambodians. The Thai Maritime Enforcement Command Centre began a search after it was reported missing.
The vessel was found to have overturned and sunk in 25-metre-deep water three nautical miles off Koh Kut. Its demise was attributed to rough seas and strong winds.
On Friday, searchers found the bodies of two of the missing crewmen washed up on a beach on Koh Kut. They were identified as Thit Yim, 47, a Cambodian, and the 31-year-old captain, Thatthep Phutthakasorn.
At 9.30am on Monday, another body was found floating in the sea by a fishermen, off Ban Yai Mom in Laem Ngop district.
Rescuers sent to recover the body said the man was floating face down, his head nibbled to the bone by fish and crabs, the body already decomposing. He was wearing only his underpants.
The body was taken ashore at Laem Ngop Pier. The boat's owner, Amnat Sutsanguan, formally identified him. Forensic identification procedures were to follow, in accordance with legal requirements.
Narong Chaisiri, president of the Trat Fisheries Association, said the search was continuing for the remaining two crew members, identified as Chuen and Lan Thuem and both presumed dead.
Mr Narong said the crew had gone out to fish and refuel before the vessel encountered a storm and capsized.
The association and the boat's owner will cooperate in providing assistance and compensation to the victims' families, in accordance with the applicable insurance policies and welfare schemes for the crew and the vessel.
Compensation payments were expected to amount to 700,000 to 800,000 baht per victim, with beneficiaries required to prove they are biological relatives.
The sunken vessel would be salvaged and examined and the findings submitted to relevant authorities as part of the compensation process, Mr Narong added.
