On 29 June 1951, Phibun was attending a ceremony aboard the "Manhattan", a US dredge boat, when he was taken hostage by a group of Royal Thai Navy officers, who then quickly confined him aboard the warship "Sri Ayutthaya". Negotiations between the government and the coup organizers swiftly broke down, leading to violent street fighting in Bangkok between the navy and the army, which was supported by the Royal Thai Air Force. Phibun was able to escape and swim back to shore when the "Sri Ayutthaya" was bombed by the air force, and with their hostage gone, the navy were forced to lay down their arms.