A Norwegian tourist found a backpack of one of the missing sailors from the HTMS Sukhothai shipwreck floating along the ocean on Koh Tao yesterday, 24 December 2022.
After the tourist turned over the backpack to the resort’s staff and an investigation from Koh Tao police officers, they confirmed that the backpack belonged to General Thaweesak Sae Siew, a Sukhothai royal sailor.
Inside they found an ID card of Thaweesak along with his Navy ID card, some clothes and toiletries, ATM cards, and a card from Queen Sirikit Hospital, plus 46 baht in cash and a gold-bronze-coloured iPhone, reported The Thaiger.
HTMS Sukhothai, with 105 people on board, capsized on Sunday night, 18 December 2022 after taking on water while patrolling in rough seas off Bang Saphan.
According to The Bangkok Post, seventy-six sailors were rescued alive, though eighteen sailors are still missing after the sixth day of search operations in the Gulf of Thailand.
At present, six of the people on board have been confirmed dead.
Sources:
- https://thethaiger.com/news/south/backpack-found-on-koh-tao-from-sailor-on-htms-sukhothai
- https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2468070/htms-sukhothai-death-toll-14-as-more-bodies-found
