Speedboat hits floating timber at sea with 63 tourists on board

A speedboat with 63 foreign tourists on board hit a floating timber while it was returning from Similan Island to shore, cracking its bottom and slowly sinking.

But a nearby fishing boat P. Duangthawiporn managed to approach the sinking boat and rescued all the tourists on board safely.

The incident happened at about 5 pm when the speedboat which belongs to Rak Thalae Co Ltd was about 20 nautical miles off Sumilan Island on its way back to Phang Nga shore with 63 foreign tourists, both adults and children.

The speedboat struck a floating timber cracking its bottom.

The crash sent all the tourists in board to panic and the boat was taking in water.

However the nearest fishing boat saw the incident and rushed to help.

All the passengers were plugged from the sinking boat and from the water safely.

Nobody was drowned or injured as all tourists had worn their life jackets while on board the boat.

According to the Similan Island national park chief Nat Kongkesorn, the boat is new and is powered by four engines with a capacity to load up to 70 passengers.

It was fortunate as the captain of the boat had strictly abided by the safety rules imposed by authorities in requiring all passengers to have life jackets worn while on board the boat, he added.

All the tourists were later picked up by two boats from the fishing boat back to the piers of Met Sai Tour and Sea Star companies.

Thai PBS

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