Eleven seamen were rescued after a cargo ship sank off the coast of Thailand.

The crew onboard the Santad Samut 4 were pulled off of drifting cargo containers after the freighter capsized in the sea off the coast of Chumphon province on November 3.

They said the vessel began to tilt as it travelled towards Laem Chabang pier from Surat Thani province to deliver timber.

Ship mechanic Sompoon Chotimani said: 'We tried to keep the balance all the way until we sped up to six to seven knots per hour. The boat then tilted and the captain ordered us to abandon ship.'

The men shot several flares, which were noticed by a nearby fishing boat that came to their aid.

Preecha Boonnak, 45, captain of the fishing boat, said: 'I noticed a firework while working but didn't think anything was wrong until I heard the second signal and saw the lights flashing in the direction of the ship.

'I went for a closer look and found everyone sitting in the lifeboats.

'My team and I rushed to bring them onto the fishing boat. We used a rope to connect the floating cargo containers before taking everyone tothe Pak Nam subdistrict in Chumphon.'

Police said that no one was hurt or killed in the incident.