Royal Thai Navy's Third Area Capt Pongjak Uraiman, Commander of Naval Air Section, arranged a helipcopter to search for the missing fisherman, Suriya Buasri, who fell off the fishing boat, N.Tubporn Namchok.
The incident was reported to authorities by the boat captain, Somnieg Jareonrak.
Vice-Admiral Sayan Prasongsamrej, Commander of the Royal Thai Navy’s Third Area, immediately ordered his officers to search for the missing man.
Somnieg said that there were 40 fishing crew on board the N.Tubporn Namchok that day and they were fishing west of Phuket International Airport.
Capt Pongjak said, “We were dispatched after we received the report of the missing fisherman.
“We spent more than two hours yesterday (November 6) searching for Suriya around the area where he fell off the boat, within the radius of 900 square nautical miles.
"Judging from the wind and the water current direction, it is possible that Suriya may have been swept away towards Phang Nga or Koh Tachai. We hope that he is alive and hope that he may have been rescued by another boat.
“However, we will continue our search today,” he concluded.