Regional News
Barge Carrying Wind Turbines Worth Millions, Sinks in Chao Phraya River
The ship carrying wind turbine poles heading to Ayutthaya sank on Tuesday morning after its captain took on water in an attempt to sail under a bridge. – Photo The Nation
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AYUTTHAYA – Salvage experts are planning how best to raise a large barge and its cargo of wind turbine towers that sank in the Chao Phraya River, about 300 metres from the Nuan Chawi Bridge, in Muang district on Monday afternoon.
Somkiat Kosikrainiramol, director of the marine department regional office in Nonthaburi, said the barge was taking four wind turbine towers worth millions of Baht from Chon Buri’s Sattahip port to Nakhon Luang district of Ayutthaya province.
It sank around 3pm on Monday, local media reported.
Somkiat Kosrikrainiramon, branch director, said the salvage operation was expected to start on Thursday
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Marine investigators said water had been pumped into the hold as extra ballast, to lower its profile significantly so it could pass under the bridge during a high tide. It became unstable, sank and settled on the bottom. Only a small part of the wind sail towers superstructure remains above water.
Mr Somkiat director of the salvage operation said it would take sometime to plan the recovery of the barge and the turbine towers because of their large size.
The sunken vessel and cargo had been clearly marked out, and other vessels were still able to travel the river.
Source: Bangkok Post, The Nation
