Six Crew Missing as Fuel Tanker Venus 14 Sinks off Thailand
Six crew members are missing after the Thai-registered fuel supply tanker Venus 14 sank in the Gulf of Thailand on 11 November. The vessel went down about 27 nautical miles from the entrance of the Sattahip Naval Base channel, off Chonburi province on Thailand’s eastern seaboard, south-east of Bangkok.
Venus 14 supplied fuel to fishing boats at sea. The Royal Thai Navy received the alert at around 09:00 local time. The total number of crew on board, their nationalities and the cause of the sinking have not been reported.
From the CrewMirror Blog
The Navy’s First Naval Area Command launched a search with patrol boat T.113 and a Dornier Do 228 maritime patrol aircraft. The naval tug HTMS Panyi and a helicopter carrying oil-spill response staff and equipment were placed on standby. A navigational warning has asked passing ships to keep a lookout for survivors.
Thailand’s Marine Department is preparing for possible oil pollution, although the amount of fuel on board is not yet known. The Navy said it would make every effort to find and rescue those in distress. No update on the missing crew had been reported at the time of writing.
CrewMirror Takeaway
Small coastal tankers and supply craft often work with thin safety margins, so lifejackets, EPIRBs and liferafts on board need regular checks. Ships passing through the Gulf of Thailand can support the search by keeping a sharp lookout and reporting any sightings.
