Ship with containers sinks off Thailand coast, 16 Bangladeshi sailors rescued

A Panama-flagged cargo ship carrying containerised goods sank off the coast of Phuket, Thailand, while en route from Port Klang, Malaysia, to Chittagong Port in Bangladesh.

All 16 Bangladeshi crew members on board were safely rescued by the Thai Navy.

The vessel, named MV Sealloyd Arc, began listing heavily—reaching up to 30 degrees—around 3:00–3:30 pm local time on Saturday, approximately four nautical miles off Phuket's coast, near areas such as Laem Phromthep or Ko Kaeo Yai.

The ship's captain declared it abandoned as it took on water and eventually sank.

The Thai Navy and maritime authorities responded promptly, rescuing the entire crew, who were all Bangladeshi nationals and reported to be in good health. They were brought ashore and accommodated in a hotel in Phuket.

Borhan Uddin, operational manager of the ship's Bangladeshi agent Alvi Lines Bangladesh, confirmed the safe rescue of all 16 sailors.

The exact cause of the capsizing and sinking remains under investigation, though the ship was carrying around 229–290 containers, including some hazardous materials, leading to concerns about scattered cargo and a minor oil spill, with cleanup efforts underway.

The vessel departed Port Klang on February 5, 2026, and had been scheduled to arrive at Chittagong on February 12.