RACHUAP KHIRI KHAN, Thailand – The Thai navy recovered the bodies of four sailors and rescued another two people after the sinking of a naval vessel earlier this week, according to the latest official update late Tuesday afternoon.

The bodies of four crew members were found floating in the sea and will be identified before they are taken back to their families, said the Royal Thai Navy. One of the two people who were pulled out alive died after the rescue.

There were 105 sailors onboard the ill-fated HTMS Sukhothai when it went down late Sunday roughly 37km off the countrys south-eastern coast. A total of 81 sailors have been accounted for, while another 24 sailors remain missing on Tuesday.

Rescuers in helicopters, two planes, and four vessels the HTMS Kraburi, HTMS Angthong, HTMS Naresuan and HTMS Bhumibol Adulyadej were scanning the turbulent waters for the missing sailors, the navy said.

Earlier naval officer, Narong Khumburi, expressed hope that survivors would be discovered as they have life vests.

But I imagine they must be exhausted.

Efforts to find the missing crew were focused on aerial searches, with the Royal Thai airforce assisting the operation, which has been affected by strong winds.

HTMS Kraburi commander Kraiwit Kornraweeprapapitch said slightly improved weather would help the search.

The format of searching is still the same, which is a joint operation with helicopters, he said.

The vessels are scanning an area roughly 50km by 50km stretching from Prachuab to upper Chumporn.

Member of the National Institute for Emergency Medicine Sahachart Limcharoenphakdee said they were working with naval personnel to help those plucked from the waters.

I am hopeful, and trust the navy rescue team who are skilful, he said. Embed Twitter Tweet URL More On This Topic Vietnamese man rescued by Thai Navy as he tries to row boat to India to meet wife We pulled them up one by one: How Spore-bound vessels crew saved 303 Sri Lankans from sinking boat On Monday night, naval commander Pichai Lorchusakul told reporters at the pier that they remained focused on finding survivors.

Our main priority is searching (for) and rescuing as many as we can, he said. HTMS Kraburi leaves the port at Bang Saphan Pier in Prachuap Khiri Khan on Dec 20, 2022, to resume the search operation for survivors. PHOTO: AFP He added that this was the first time that the Thai navy had lost a ship this way.

The vessel a corvette, the smallest type of military warship is believed to have run into trouble after its electronics system was damaged, according to the navy.

The ships operating systems stopped working, causing the ship to lose control, a spokesman said. Embed Twitter Tweet URL Parts of southern Thailand have been hit by storms and flooding in recent days.

A warning from the Thai meteorological office remained in place on Tuesday, with strong winds causing rough conditions in the Gulf of Thailand, cautioning seafarers to proceed with caution and small boats to stay ashore.

The HTMS Sukhothai was commissioned in 1987 and built in the United States by the now-defunct Tacoma Boatbuilding Company, according to the US Naval Institute. THE STRAITS TIMES, AFP, THE NATION/ASIA NEWS NETWORK More On This Topic Chance of finding missing ship crew off Hong Kong 'very slim' after storm: Authorities Two bodies found after South Korea ship goes missing near Taiwan