Faisal Mahmud
11 November 2026•Update: 11 November 2026
Six crew members went missing Wednesday after an oil tanker sank off Thailand's eastern coast, prompting a search and rescue operation and preparations for a possible oil spill.
The Thai-registered Venus 14, a vessel used to supply fuel to fishing boats, sank approximately 27 nautical miles from the entrance to Sattahip Naval Base in Chon Buri province, according to the Royal Thai Navy.
The First Naval Area Command launched an operation to locate the missing crew and the sunken vessel, the Bangkok Post reported.
A navy patrol boat, Tor 113, and a maritime surveillance aircraft have been deployed to the area.
Authorities have also issued warnings to other vessels navigating nearby waters.
The navy said it was coordinating with the Marine Department to prepare for possible marine pollution if fuel leaked from the sunken tanker.
The amount of fuel aboard the vessel when it sank remains unknown.
The navy has placed the tugboat HTMS Panyi and a helicopter on standby, with personnel and oil-spill response equipment ready for deployment if required.
Officials have not disclosed what caused the vessel to sink or whether any distress signal was received before the incident.
The navy said search and rescue operations would continue while authorities monitored the area for potential environmental damage to the marine ecosystem.
