CHUMPHON -- A search continued on Tuesday for the Thai skipper and a Myanmar crewman who went missing after a fishing boat capsized in rough seas off Chumphon yesterday.
Capt Bundhit Chuen-im, chief of the port-in/port-out centre in Chumphon, said he requested help from Zone 1 Operations Coordinating Centre.
In response, Vice Adm Rangsarit Sattayanukul, commander of 1st Naval Area, ordered a reconnaissance aircraft to conduct an aerial search over Koh Kalok and Koh Ngam, about 20 nautical miles east of Chumphon, where the boat capsized on Monday.
Two searched proved unsuccessful due to the bad weather.
Capt Bundhit said he believed the two missing persons were still alive. Therefore, he asked for cooperation from search and rescue foundations, fishing boats, marine police, marine park officials and people living along the coastline to look for the missing sailors, who might have been washed ashore somewhere or landed on a deserted island.
The boat, Chok Charoenrat, which capsized had eight men on board. They included Chatchawal Samutpong, the skipper, and seven crewmen.
Six crewmen had landed on Mattra island, while Mr Chatchawal and a Myanmar crew were still missing.