The Navy will reopen bidding for the contract to salvage the wreck of the Rattanakosin-class corvette ship, HTMS Sukhothai, which sank off Prachuap Khiri Khan province in December last year, according to Navy Commander in Chief Admiral Choengchai Chomchoengpaet on Thursday.
He said the bidding will take place in mid of October, but did not exactly say when.
HMS Sukhothai sank in stormy weather about 20 nautical miles or 32 kilometres off the coast of Prachuap Khiri Khan’s Bang Saphan district on December 18 with 105 crew on board. Seventy-six members of the crew were rescued, the bodies of 24 were recovered and five remain missing.
The admiral said that the Navy had previously opened bidding for salvage of the vessel, but the 16 companies who expressed interest did not submit all the required documents, “so the committee responsible for handling the auction decided to postpone it,” he said.
He rejected speculation that the postponement was planned, to ensure a company belonging to an influential family get the contract.
HTMS Sukhothai was on routine sea patrol when it began to list to starboard, allowing seawater to get into the electrical system through the exhaust manifold. This led to a loss of electrical power and the stopping of the main engine.
The ship lost steering, resulting in more water entering the hull, increasing the list. The Navy ordered three other naval vessels and two helicopters to rescue the ship’s complement.
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