NAKHON SI THAMMARAT – A fishing boat was completely destroyed by fire and sank off the coast of Tha Sala district in the early hours of January 21, 2026. All four crew members were safely rescued after abandoning the burning vessel.

Eight rescued, one missing after boat sinks off Songkhla

The blaze erupted around 3:00 a.m. near the mouth of the Tha Sala estuary. Rescue teams from the Tai Tek Siang Tung Tha Sala foundation responded on jet skis but found the boat fully engulfed in flames and unable to be saved. The crew had already been picked up by another vessel and brought ashore unharmed.

The boat sank after burning out, resulting in the total loss of onboard equipment including navigation systems, sonar, electrical engines, and fishing gear. Preliminary estimates place the damage at several million baht.

Authorities suspect the fire may have originated from an electrical short circuit in the fuel storage area, which allowed flames to spread rapidly. Due to the intensity of the blaze, firefighters were unable to prevent the vessel from sinking.

Three rescued after fishing boat sinks off Trat

The boat owner is filing a formal report as police and officials investigate the exact cause and document losses for insurance and legal purposes.