This is the incredible moment a sailor swims across the sea to rescue four kittens from a burning ship.
Still wearing his trousers, Thatsaphon Saii, 23, plunged into the water off the coast of Thailand and raced over to the wreckage.
All eight crew members – five Burmese and three Thai – had already escaped the inferno and were saved by a passing fishing boat.
But four terrified kittens had been left clinging to a fishing crane as the flames rapidly engulfed the boat.
Thatsaphon swam 50ft in the choppy ocean before climbing aboard the sinking ship.
He put three cats into an old rice sack and carried one on his shoulder, and paddled back to the navy vessel. Miraculously, all of the kittens were unharmed.
The old wooden fishing vessel was left to burn and sink into the depths near the island of Koh Adang in southern Thailand.
Speaking today, the Royal Thai Navy sailor said: ‘When we arrived it was to secure the wreckage and check for oil spills. But we noticed the cats onboard.
‘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. They would have drowned or died of thirst if they went into the sea.’
The kittens were dehydrated and given fresh water while they recovered onboard the navy vessel. They had no other injuries.
Navy officials are currently looking after them at their office while they prepare for them to be re-homed.
Local officials said the oil tank in the sunken ship is vulnerable to leaking, and will cause damage to coral reefs.
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