The HMS Vestal was a British Minesweeper of Algerine Class that displaced 990 tons for a length of 65m, 10.6m at the beam and a drag of 3.2m. The motors where steam engines that could give her a maximum speed of 16 knots and an autonomy of 4 500 miles at 11, 5 knots. The armament was made of one 4 inch canon, four 20mm canons and a Hedgehog mortar. This ship was manned by 8 officers and a crew of 99.

The dive is a spectacular one. The ship now lies in 75m of water flat on its keel. The amount of fish surrounding the wreck is terrific and this was also my first encounter with a tiger shark in Thai waters. The ship is now covered with nets which give it an exclusive mysterious flavor but also builds up the danger of entanglement. This wreck definitely deserves a few dives to get around it.
The identification is not 100% confirmed, but due to the size and configuration of the vessel, the odds of it being an other vessel is very small. We surfaced a few dishes in 2003 with King George IV inscriptions on their back, just one more clue that tends to confirm her identity.

This dive has many difficulty's. The depth is only one of them. This wreck is subject to current that can get quiet strong, planning is essential when visiting this ship. On other problem is the number of fishing nets that cover her. It gives her this mysterious appearance, but also poses a threat to any diver, especially as the visibility decreases. Trimix is required on this ship due to the preceding elements, and if penetration is attempted, then all precautions must be taken and proper training is a life insurance.