OFFICERS from the Second Naval Area Command are bringing a mystery stateless ship with not a single crew on board that was found listing near Koh Samui to shore to prevent a maritime disaster, Sanook.com said this evening (Jan 8).
Staff at Chevron’s drilling rig alerted the authorities on Jan. 5 that the ship, Fin Shul Yuen 2, was found floating about 70 nautical miles southeast of Koh Samui.
Vice Admiral Sunthorn Damklai, commander of the Second Naval Area, sent an unmanned aircraft and a T.113 patrol boat to inspect it and it was found that it was a merchant ship, approximately 80 metres in length, with no cargo and not a single person on board.
The hull had some Chinese language text on it but there was no ship number and the stern’s number had been deleted. There was also no accomodation for seafarers nor were there an anchor and chain.
This abandoned ship was flooded and listing 35 degrees. The Thai navy’s T.113 boat crew had started pumping water out to prevent it from sinking as this would affect the safety of shipping routes with an unknown quantity of fuel leaking into the sea. However after a while they had to withdraw because of rough weather.
Vice Admiral Sunthorn has now assigned Rear Admiral Surasak Prathanworapanya, head of Thai Maritime Enforcement Command Centre, to coordinate and bring this mystery ship ashore after which effort to track down the owner will start.
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The mystery cargo ship with not a single person aboard is listing near Koh Samui. Photos: Sanook.com
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