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STORY: Thailand's navy discovered the bodies of six marines on Tuesday (December 20), after a small warship sank in treacherous waters at the weekend.

The military raced against time to find survivors, mobilizing helicopters, warships and unmanned drones off its central coast.

Around two dozen marines were still unaccounted for by Tuesday afternoon.

Some of those missing were without life vests.

Admiral Choengchai Chomchoengpaet, the navy's commander-in-chief, said an investigation into the incident will take place.

"Whether it be the facts surrounding the incident - the fact that the ship had sunk, claims that the life vests were insufficient for the additional marines that went aboard the ship to join a mission in Sairee Beach - all of this will have to be investigated, to report back to the Royal Thai Navy."

The navy's chief of staff also said he was hopeful that there would be survivors, after one person was found alive after 41 hours.

Dozens were forced to abandon the HTMS Sukhothai late on Sunday, after it was knocked over by 13 foot waves and strong winds.

Malinee Pudphong says her nephew Saharat Esa is one of those missing without a buoyancy aid.

"I'm very concerned, I'm concerned about everything when we have this kind of weather and winds. It's now been too long for them to be at sea, struggling with the tides and weather. This is the body of a 21-year-old, he's not strong enough."

The U.S.-made corvette, in use since 1987, was carrying 105 military personnel.

Most were saved before the boat sank.

But dozens had to abandon ship in rafts and life jackets.

The captain of the sunken boat, who was at sea for two hours himself before being found by rescue teams, said it would be hard to see survivors from the large rescue ships.

The vessel suffered an engine malfunction as it took on water, before sinking around 20 nautical miles off Prachuap Khiri Khan province.