Bangladeshi Ship Capsizes Off Phuket

July 4, 2013

The Royal Thai Navy has joined a search for 11 crew missing after a Bangladeshi cargo ship capsized in the early hours of this morning (July 4) to the south of Racha Yai Island.

PHUKET – July 4,2013; The reason for the capsize is not yet clear, but the 97-metre, 5,550-ton MV Hope, broadcast an SOS at 3:57 am which was picked up by the Australian Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC) which relayed details of the ship’s last known position to its counterpart in Bangkok.

It is believed the Hope, a general cargo ship launched 23 years ago, was on its way from the Strait of Malacca to Bangladesh.

Heading northwest, it was fighting heavy crosswinds and waves coming beam-on.

A Royal Thai Navy Third Fleet helicopter was scrambled and flew out to check the scene, about 29 nautical miles (54 kilometres) south of Racha Yai, and a navy helicopter and patrol plane are also quartering the ocean looking for the missing crew members.

A German container ship, the Buxmoon, is also on the scene looking for survivors.

Five members of the crew of the Hope were spotted in a lifeboat, and were later picked up by the Buxmoon, which will take thjem to Bangladesh. They are believed to be uninjured.

Another crewman has been pulled from the sea injured and was flown aboard a Thai Navy helicopter to Phuket, where is is now recovering in Vachira Phuket Hospital.

Another 11 crewmen are missing. The search for them continues.

View the original story on The Phuket News