A Thai navy sailor braved choppy seas to rescue four cats abandoned on a sinking ship on fire in the Andaman Sea.

The navy ship had been sent to the capsized vessel on Tuesday, after its crew had been taken to safety, to check for an oil spill, when the beleaguered moggies were discovered.

“I used my camera to zoom into the boat, and I saw one or two cats popping their heads out,” said first-class Petty Officer Wichit Pukdeelon of the navy’s air and coastal defence division.

The four frightened ginger cats were huddled together on a wooden beam and a sailor swam out to the boat

The rescuer carried the animals to safety on his shoulders above the water, with his team pulling him in by rope.

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His Facebook post of the rescue received about 2,500 comments, many praising the crew for their efforts.

The cats are now being cared for by the crew at their command post on the island of Koh Lipe.

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