A fishing boat kilometers off the coast of Thailand sent an emergency call earlier this week when a fire broke out onboard, disabling the vessel and causing it to take on water.
A nearby boat heard the call and arrived to rescue the eight-man crew.
However, not everyone on board the ship had been saved.
Later, members of the Royal Thai Navy were sent to examine the damaged fishing boat, which was on the edge of sinking at the time.
Fortunately, someone realized that the boat still had several souls on board.
Four cats in need of rescue were clinging to life on the doomed ship.
Tattaphon Sai, one of the naval sailors, jumped into action at that point.
He swam out to the fishing boat, approached the cats…
… and swam each of them back to safety.
The cats, wet and terrified, clung to Sai’s back as he swam them to the navy vessel, apparently understanding that he was there to save their lives.
And, with only a few minutes before the boat sank, that’s exactly what he did.
The cats had all been saved because to Sai’s bravery.
They were welcomed aboard the navy ship and given food and drink to help them recuperate from their experience. Fortunately, all of the cats survived their terrifying journey in good condition.
It’s unclear if the cats sneaked aboard and hid in the fishing boat, or if they were ignored when the fishing crew was evacuated. However, one thing is certain: they are now in good hands.
Now that they’re back on dry land, the cats are content in the care of their naval rescuers, giving”Because every life counts.” rise to some adorable depiction of their newfound friendships.
Though it was not a conventional rescue mission for Sai and the other sailors, the Royal Thai Navy put it best when discussing their attempts to aid the orphaned kitties, stating simply:
“Because every life counts.”
Link to Paws Daily