Main image via Daily Mail and Facebook
There have been a couple of heroes that deserve honorable mentions recently – with the most recent being a Vietnamese delivery driver who saved a toddler who fell from the 12th storey.
Now, more heroes deserve a mention, this time the Thai Navy who rescued four kittens from a sinking ship.
Image via Facebook
Recently, a ship caught fire near the island of Koh Adang, Thailand, and navy sailors braved the choppy waters to launch a dramatic rescue of the vessel’s eight crew members.
After the crew had been taken to safety, the navy were sent back to the site of the capsized vessel to check for possible oil spills and while there was no oil spill, they noticed that a few crew members had been left behind. But these crew members were little and furry.
“I used my camera to zoom in to the boat, and I saw one or two cats popping their heads out,” First-Class Petty Officer Wichit Pukdeelon of the navy’s air and coastal defence division said.
Image via Daily Mail
Navy sailor Thatsaphon Saii swam out to the capsized boat and saw the four ginger cats huddled together on a wooden beam of the burning and sinking ship.
The sailor moved quickly and managed to swim through 50ft of choppy water to reach the kittens. Once there, he put three of them into an old rice sack and carried the other on his shoulders.
Images via Facebook
Thanks to the navy sailor, the cats were unharmed and brought back to the navy vessel without any troubles. The dehydrated kittens were given fresh water while they recovered, they were otherwise healthy and had no other injuries.
“When we arrived it was to secure the wreckage and check for oil spills,” Thatsaphon said from the Royal Thai Navy’s Air and Coastal Defence Command Operation Unit 491.
“But we noticed the cats onboard,” he said. “I immediately took off my shirt and put on a life jacket so I could jump into the sea. The flames were at the back of the boat but it was starting to sink, so I knew I had to be quick.”
“I’m so relieved that we were able to save the kittens,” he added. “They would have drowned or died of thirst if they went into the sea.”
Images via Facebook
The four ginger kittens are currently being cared for by their navy rescuers at their command post on the island of Koh Lipe while they wait to be placed in their forever homes.
We’re incredibly happy that the navy officers were able to save the kittens in time!
Have you ever rescued an animal? Share your story with us!
Info via Reuters + UNILAD
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