The Hope’s crew sent out a distress call early yesterday after the ship’s cargo shifted in heavy seas, causing the vessel to list alarmingly to starboard.
Five of the 17 crew made it to one of the ship’s lifeboats and were later picked up unharmed by a German container ship. Another crew member, Abubager Siddique, was rescued by a Royal Thai Navy helicopter and is now in Vachira Phuket Hospital.
The 11 other crew, however, have not yet been located.
The abandoned ship, meanwhile, has drifted southwards and is now about 93 kilometres off La-ngoo district in Satun Province. It is not yet clear what action will be taken to salvage it.
An RTN officer said that the search for survivors would continue during daylight hours today using the warship RTNS Pattani, two patrol boats and the two choppers. As to whether the search will continue after that, a decision has yet to be made, he said.