The Royal Thai Navy practices rescuing an
unconscious fisherman by airlifting him via helicopter.
Patcharapol Panrak
Navy and local-government officials boned up on their marine-rescue skills with
drills off Sattahip.
Vice Adm. Susheep Hwangmaitree opened the Nov. 26 exercise about five miles off
the Sattahip Naval Base. Royal Thai Navy Region 1 Deputy Chief of Staff Samrueng
Jansoe led forces from the military and local law enforcement in the mock
scenario.
The scene was set on a fishing boat where a crewmember was in distress. A
helicopter was used to locate the vessel, radioing its position to Patrol Boat
15.
Rubber boats were sent with divers aboard to secure the scene. It was determined
the crewman was unconscious, so he was brought up to the helicopter to be flown
to the nearest hospital.
Samrueng said it is the navy’s responsibility not only to guard the coast,
capture tax evaders and drug runners, and guard against human traffickers, but
to render assistance to boats and sailors in distress.
Marine-rescue operations, she said, are one of the most-important missions of
the navy and require 24-hour readiness. Hence frequent drills are necessary.
