Bangkok, April 8th, 2026 – Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Sihasak Phuangketkeaw, has officially confirmed that the three missing Thai crew members from the Thai-flagged bulk carrier MV Mayuree Naree were killed in an Iranian attack last month.
Speaking at a press briefing today, Sihasak announced that the three mariners, who were believed to have been trapped in the ship’s engine room after the vessel was struck by projectiles on March 11th, have now been confirmed dead. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its deepest condolences to the families of the deceased and said it is coordinating with Iranian authorities and the ship’s owner to facilitate the repatriation of remains and provide full support to the bereaved families.
The MV Mayuree Naree, a 180-metre-long dry bulk carrier owned by Bangkok-based Precious Shipping Plc (PSL.BK), was attacked while sailing in ballast (empty) through the Strait of Hormuz, approximately 11 nautical miles off the northern coast of Oman. The ship had departed from Khalifa Port in the United Arab Emirates earlier that morning en route toward India when it came under fire.
According to the ship’s operator, two projectiles of unknown origin slammed into the hull above the waterline, igniting a fierce fire in the engine room and causing severe damage. All 23 crew members on board were Thai nationals. Twenty of them were quickly evacuated with assistance from Omani naval forces and later repatriated to Thailand via Suvarnabhumi Airport on March 16th. The remaining three were reported missing and presumed trapped in the flooded and fire-damaged engine compartment.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) later claimed responsibility for the strike, stating that the Mayuree Naree had “disregarded warnings and insistently attempted to illegally pass through the Strait of Hormuz.” The attack occurred amid heightened tensions in the region following a broader escalation of conflict involving Iran, Isreal, and the US, which had already seen multiple vessels targeted in the strategic waterway.
In the weeks following the incident, the damaged vessel drifted and eventually ran aground on an Iranian island. A specialised search and rescue team hired by Precious Shipping boarded the ship in early April and discovered human remains in the affected engine room area. The company then informed the families, and Thai authorities continued pressing for forensic identification and recovery efforts.
Today’s confirmation by the Foreign Ministry brings closure to a tragedy that has drawn widespread attention in Thailand and raised concerns about the safety of Thai-flagged vessels navigating high-risk international shipping lanes during the ongoing Middle East conflict.
The Ministry has urged all Thai shipping operators to exercise extreme caution and adhere strictly to international maritime security advisories when transiting the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding waters.
Precious Shipping has not yet issued a detailed public statement on the confirmed deaths, but sources close to the company said the families have been notified and are receiving government assistance.
For the original version of this article, please visit The Pattaya News.
