Thai warship HTMS Sukhothai sinks in severe weather, leaving 33 crew missing

Bangkok, Thailand
CNN
 — 

A Royal Thai Navy warship sank in severe weather early Monday, leaving 33 of its crew of 106 sailors missing in stormy seas in the Gulf of Thailand, Thai authorities said.

Three rescued sailors were in critical condition, and a search operation was underway for the missing crew, authorities said.

Strong winds tilted the 252-foot (76.8-meter) long corvette HTMS Sukhothai, allowing sea water to enter an exhaust pipe and subsequently shut down the ship’s electrical system, a Thai navy statement said.

The electrical shutdown caused the ship’s main power systems to fail, leaving the crew unable to maneuver or pump out sea water that had entered its hull, it said.

Over the course of more than three hours, efforts to transfer pumps to the…