As reported, on the evening of December 18, 2022, a corvette of the Thai Navy FS 442 Sukhothai (Ratanakosin type) sank in the Gulf of Thailand as a result of a strong storm. All crew members were rescued.
Sinking corvette FS 442 Sukhothai of the Thai Navy, 12/18/2022 (c) theatlasnews.coIt is reported that in the conditions of a strong storm on the ship, water began to flow into the hull through the outboard fittings, which led to a short circuit of the electric power system and de-energization of the ship.
The de-energization led to the failure of the drainage pumps and the spread of water throughout the ship, with the flooding of the engine room with the shutdown of the main engines and the loss of stroke and control and the increase in roll. In the conditions of a storm, this led to new flooding of the ship. Eventually, the roll reached 60 degrees to starboard and the crew was ordered to abandon the ship, all people were removed by other ships of the Thai Navy. At 23.30 on December 18, local time, the Sukhothai corvette sank.
The FS 441 Ratanakosin and FS 442 Sukhothai corvettes were built for the Thai Navy by the American shipbuilding company Tacoma Boatbuilding Company in Tacoma (Washington State) and commissioned in 1986 and 1987, respectively. The construction was partially funded by American military aid. The Sukhothai corvette had a total displacement of 940 tons, a length of 76.82 m, a width of 9.55 m and a draft of 2.44 m. The main power plant is a two-shaft of two diesel engines MTU 20V1163 TB83 8000 hp, full speed 26 knots. The full-time crew is 87 people. The ships were armed with the Harpoon anti-ship missile system, the Albatros anti-aircraft missile system (Aspide), 76-mm, 40-mm and 20-mm artillery installations and 324-mm anti-submarine torpedo tubes.
Abandonment by personnel of the sinking corvette FS 442 Sukhothai of the Thai Navy, 12/18/2022 (c) photos from social networksSinking corvette FS 442 Sukhothai of the Thai Navy, 12/18/2022 (c) theatlasnews.co
FS 442 Sukhothai corvette as part of the Thai Navy (c) Thai Navy
