Death toll from sinking of Thai navy ship rises to 18 – Boston News, Weather, Sports

(CNN) — Thailand‘s navy said Sunday that the death toll from the sinking of one of its warships earlier in the week had risen to 18.

The HTMS Sukhothai sank in severe weather early Monday, leaving dozens of its crew missing in stormy seas in the Gulf of Thailand.

11 officers remain missing, the Royal Thai Navy said in an update Sunday. Of the 105 on board the ship at the time of the disaster, 76 have been rescued.

The ship was carrying 30 more people than usual at the time of its sinking, and there were not enough life jackets for all of them, the commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Navy Adm. Cherngchai Chomcherngpat said Tuesday.

The extra officers were aboard because the ship was taking part in a salute to the founder of the Thai navy, Cherngchai said. The crew were “fully aware about the problem of not having enough life jackets for 30 additional officers….