PHANG NGA – Efforts to refloat the Myanmar-flagged cargo ship MV AYAR LINN, which ran aground on a coral reef in Mu Ko Surin National Park on June 1st, entered a critical phase this weekend. Salvage teams deployed an innovative buoyancy technique using 200-liter water tanks attached to the vessel’s submerged stern section.

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Marine officials overseeing the operation explained that compressed air is being pumped into the tanks to displace seawater, gradually lifting the 1,500-ton freighter off the fragile reef ecosystem. While the vessel has shown movement, it remains partially submerged as workers add additional lift bags to stabilize the operation.

A multi-agency task force, including experts from the National Marine Park Operations Centre (Phuket), the Conservation Area Administration Office (Nakhon Si Thammarat), and marine biologists from Phuket Rajabhat University, is coordinating the delicate salvage.

The operation to salvage a Myanmar-flagged freighter, grounded on a coral reef in the Mu Ko Surin National Park in the Andaman Sea, began on Saturday, with salvage teams attempting to raise the half-sunken vessel from the coral reef.

A hundred 200-litre tanks, filled with water,… pic.twitter.com/zaHj3LUB1o

— Thai PBS World (@ThaiPBSWorld) June 17, 2025

Parallel efforts are underway to assess ecological damage caused by the grounding. Preliminary dive surveys confirm significant harm to protected coral species including Acropora, Porites rus, and Heliopora. Full assessment of reef damage beneath the ship’s keel awaits successful refloating.

Environmental teams are simultaneously conducting cleanup operations, removing debris including car tires and packaging materials that spilled from the vessel’s cargo hold. Park authorities note that some coral colonies may naturally recover, though rehabilitation efforts will focus on severely damaged areas.

The incident has reignited calls for stricter maritime monitoring in Thailand’s UNESCO-recognized marine parks, with authorities vowing to review navigation protocols in sensitive marine habitats.

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Note: MV AYAR LINN was transporting consumer goods from Myanmar to Indonesia when it deviated from its course due to reported engine failure.

-Thailand News (TN). Reporting by Andaman Marine Press | June 17, 2025