Marine Department co-ordinates urgent response after Thai cargo ship MAYUREE NAREE blast in Strait of Hormuz

The Marine Department has provided an update on the incident involving the Thai vessel MAYUREE NAREE, a bulk carrier of 19,891 gross tonnes, registration number 550000990, operated by Precious Flowers Co., Ltd. The ship suffered an explosion at the stern while transiting the Strait of Hormuz on March 11, 2026, at around 11:00am (Thailand time).

According to the shipowner’s report, the vessel and its 23 crew members departed from an anchorage area in the United Arab Emirates. While passing through the Strait of Hormuz, an explosion occurred at the stern, triggering a fire in the engine room. The captain decided to abandon ship, evacuating the crew into lifeboats, and assistance was provided by the Royal Navy of Oman.

A total of 20 crew members were brought ashore safely and taken to the port city of Khasab, Oman. However, three crew members are believed to have been in the engine room at the time of the incident, as they were on duty there. Search and assistance efforts are continuing.

At 1:46pm, Precious Shipping Public Company Limited (the shipowner) confirmed that 20 crew members had been brought ashore, while the remaining three were still being tracked and searched for.

The Marine Department said it has urgently co-ordinated with domestic and international agencies as follows:

• Dispatching officials to a meeting with ReCAAP ISC in Singapore, and co-ordinating with representatives of the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) to liaise with forces in the area to support assistance efforts.
• Co-ordinating with the Royal Thai Navy, with the Chief of Staff ordering the Navy Operations Centre to liaise with military agencies in Bahrain to support the rescue mission.
• Co-ordinating with the National Search and Rescue Committee for Aircraft and Ships in Distress, so the local Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) can conduct search and rescue operations.
• Co-ordinating with the Thai Maritime Enforcement Command Center.
• Co-ordinating with Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to support diplomatic efforts and provide close assistance to Thai crew members.

Kritphet Chaichuay, Director-General of the Marine Department, said he has ordered the establishment of a situation monitoring centre to co-ordinate and closely support Thai crew members, track developments, and provide continuous updates to relevant agencies.