The Royal Thai Navy successfully evacuated 16 crewmembers from a Panamanian-flagged container ship after the vessel foundered off the coast of Phuket on February 7. All seafarers, identified as Bangladeshi nationals, were rescued without injury shortly before the vessel disappeared beneath the surface. More than 200 containers were reported to have scattered across the sea, and an oil leak was detected
The 6,500 DWT Sealloyd Arc issued a distress signal, reporting severe water ingress and a worsening list, while transiting from Port Klang, Malaysia, to Chattogram, Bangladesh. Recognizing the imminent danger of capsizing, the master ordered the crew to abandon ship.
The 115-meter vessel eventually sank at approximately 21:00 LT, roughly three miles off the southern coast of the Phuket region. A local fishing boat and a Phuket Provincial Administration patrol boat successfully rescued all 16 crewmembers.
The Sealloyd Arc was carrying 229 containers, 14 of which contained hazardous materials. While many units went down with the hull, several containers were observed floating in the vicinity, posing a significant navigational risk to regional shipping.
An emergency environmental response is currently underway following reports of an oil slick measuring 4.5 miles in length and over a mile in width stretching westward from the site. Navy reconnaissance aircraft and patrol boats remain on-site to monitor the spill and tag floating debris. Authorities are fast-tracking a salvage plan to mitigate potential ecological damage to the Andaman coast and to retrieve the hazardous cargo.
