Phuket: Naval Region 3 dispatched ship T.272 to assist four foreign tourists whose speedboat ran aground on rocks at Koh Mai Thon. They were safely brought ashore.
According to Thai News Agency, Vice Admiral Weerudom Muangchin, Commander of the Third Naval Area Command and Director of the Third Naval Area Maritime Interests Protection Center, received a request for assistance via the 1465 hotline from Mr. Kevin. The call reported that Mr. Nelo had led a speedboat that ran aground on rocks behind Mai Thon Island, Phuket Province. The four individuals onboard were all Russian nationals. Although they were safely disembarked at Mai Thon Island, they faced challenges due to the steep cliffs, preventing them from walking anywhere. The incident occurred at coordinates 07°45.59'N 098°28.35'E, approximately 4.6 nautical miles southeast of the mooring post.
Vice Admiral Weerudom subsequently ordered the 3rd Region Maritime Security Operations Command and the 3rd Naval Area Command to undertake a rescue mission for the stranded tourists. Captain Phonprom Sakuntem, Director of the 3rd Region Maritime Security Operations Command and Commander of the 3rd Region Command, along with Lieutenant Commander Bannasorn Phuangthani, Commander of HTMS Hua Hin, were appointed as incident commanders at the scene.
The rescue operation involved the T.272 ship and a rescue team from the Royal Thai Navy Maritime Security Unit (RTNSA) at Phuket Island. The mission emphasized safety as a priority. The special operations team utilized rubber boats and pre-arranged equipment to perform the rescue. The operation required the specialized skills of the team, amid challenging conditions such as darkness and strong winds. Nevertheless, the team successfully brought all four tourists onto the T.272 vessel safely.