THAI and American Navy officers started a joint operation to explore a warship after it sank in the Gulf of Thailand more than a year ago.
Plans to explore HTMS Sukhothai have finally materialized after the vessel remained underwater for fourteen months now.
The initiative was launched by Navy officers from Thailand and the United States.
The joint operation aims to destroy the remaining ammunition and search for missing persons in Radar Room 2.
There are also plans to salvage the ship, if possible.
A no-sail zone has been declared to allow Thai and American navies to remove armaments from the sunken warship.
To recall, the corvette sank off the coast of the Gulf of Thailand on the night of December 19, 2022. Of the 106 crew on board, 24 sailors died, 76 have been rescued, and five others were still missing and presumed dead.
The United States last month warned the Royal Thai Navy about the reported involvement of a Chinese company to salvage the American-made corvette.
The U.S. security agency also reminded the Thai Navy of its commitment under the military sale agreement, l between the two countries.
The agency gave the warning amid reports that Thailand chose a Chinese company to help salvage the warship after winning a bid worth 199 million baht.
No bodies have been retrieved at this point while operations will continue in the coming days.
