Rescue mission for 31 missing sailors under way after Thai navy warship capsizes during storm

A search and rescue mission is under way to locate 31 missing sailors after a Thai navy warship sank off the southern coast of Thailand.

Strong winds blew seawater onto the HTMS Sukhothai and knocked out its electrical system on Sunday evening before reports came in that the ship had sunk shortly after midnight.

The Royal Thai Navy dispatched three frigates and two helicopters with mobile pumping machines to try to assist the disabled ship by removing the seawater but it could not do so because of the strong winds.

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Up to 75 sailors had already been rescued and 31 were still in the water, the navy has said.

The loss of power allowed more seawater to flow into the vessel, causing it to list and sink.

It happened while the warship was on patrol at sea 20 miles from the pier at Bangsaphan district in Prachuap Khiri Khan province.

While northern and central Thailand are seeing their coldest temperatures of the year, far southern Thailand has been experiencing storms and flooding in recent days. Ships were warned to stay ashore.