The adventurer of the sea, the tsunami-warning buoy numbered 23461, had fallen radio silent since the last day of July, and it ceased its noble duty of keeping guard off the shores of the Andaman Sea. Having strayed approximately 340 kilometers northwest of the renowned island of Phuket, it had been found and retrieved by a devoted navy vessel, according to an announcement from the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM).
The waves and wind hadn’t been kind. The buoy had separated from its usual station and for a considerable amount of time, had not been able to transmit crucial data that could predict disasters. But as they say, rough seas make skilled sailors. The skilled sailors here were from the Thai Maritime Enforcement Command Centre in tandem with the 3rd Naval Area, working under the guidance of DDPM. Together, they undertook the noble cause of retrieving the silent buoy and bringing it back to shore.
It was the dawn of a new week, Sunday, and the time was ripe for the naval offshore patrol vessel known as the HTMS Prachuap Khiri Khan to embark on their mission to track down the trusted buoy. Launching their venture at 8.30 am from the Phang-nga navy base, they set their path by following the GPS signal of the missing buoy.
By the mid-afternoon mark, precisely at 2.20pm, their diligent search bore fruit. A sigh of relief perhaps coursed through the vessel as they found the buoy about 30km northwest of the Koh Surin islands. Reclaimed from its wanderings and safely ensconced within the confines of the HTMS Prachuap Khiri Khan, it was bound now not by the whims of the sea, but by the path charted by the naval crew. It was destined to make its journey back to the Phang-nga navy base from whence it had embarked that very day.
Monday morning promised a notable event. The successful return of HTMS Prachuap, with the buoy on board, back to Phang-nga navy base was anticipated. Once returned, the buoy would enter a phase of examination at the local disaster prevention and mitigation office. The investigations would probe the reasons as to why the buoy stopped transmitting data and why it had deviated from its designated station. Any necessary repairs would be carried out, ensuring that the buoy could resume its significant duty of keeping the coast safe once again.
Be First to Comment