Crane Rescues Sunken Tugboat in Ayutthaya River
A tugboat sank in the Pasak River in Ayutthaya after engine failure while towing a cargo vessel, leaving its driver with a broken arm. Rescue crews used a crane to lift the submerged boat from a depth of about 18 metres and moved it to shallower water to pump out the water. Officials said the vessel will be sent for repair and the waterway will be reopened tomorrow.
At 14:30 on 19 October 2069, rescue teams sent divers to attach ropes to the sunken tugboat before using a crane to raise and stabilise it. After about an hour they lifted roughly half of the vessel above the surface, with the bow pointing toward Bangkok, and then used a crane boat and a motorboat to tug and push it to the opposite bank of Wat Phanom Choeng, where the water is about three metres deep. Heavy rain fell in the area after the boat was brought ashore. Ayutthaya Governor Chavanit Wong‑sathitjikarn said that after being notified he met with the Harbour Office to review navigation measures for the flood season, noting that navigation is already restricted when the discharge rate reaches 2,500 cubic metres per second and is allowed only during daylight hours when it drops to 1,800 cubic metres per second. He added that although the Harbour Office regularly checks engine conditions, the incident shows a need for stricter rules to prevent repeats. Regional Harbour Office Director Peerathorn Naksuk said the vessel has been recovered, the next step is to pump out the water—no leaks or damage were found—and once empty the boat will float and be taken to a repair yard chosen by the owner, while officials will reopen the waterway for normal traffic the following day.
