BANGKOK, Nov. 5 (UPI) -- A Thai navy ship taking part in anti-piracy patrols near Somalia rescued 23 crewmen from a Thai trawler attacked and seized by pirates, naval officials said.
One Thai crewman and four Yemini policemen were missing, officials said
The Thai naval force received a report Tuesday that the Sirichai Nava 11, a Yemen-registered Thai fishing vessel, had been attacked by Somali pirates about 15 nautical miles (22.5 miles) from the coast of Yemen, the Bangkok Post reported.
The HTMS Pattani, one of two Thai ships taking part in a 28-country anti-piracy effort, was immediately sent on a rescue mission.
On reaching the attack area, a helicopter search was initiated.
Around noon Wednesday, survivors were spotted.
Seven Thai and 15 Cambodian crew members and one Yemeni policeman were rescued from the water.
Crew members said the pirates took control of the trawler and were sailing toward the Somali coast when the ship was hit by gunfire from a ship of unknown nationality and sank.
The crewmen were left adrift until their rescue.
They did not know what became of the pirates, the Bangkok post said.
