Police in Krabi have confirmed one death and several serious injuries when a boat exploded near Viking Cave while on the way to Phi Phi Island, south of Phuket, yesterday.
Footage of the burning boat. Video: Urassaya Lhin Nicha/Facebook
Six of the injured passengers suffered severe burns, and 10 others sustained less serious injuries. One of the most seriously burned passengers later died at the hospital from the wounds. The names of the deceased passenger and seriously injured have not yet been made public, reported Thai PBS.
It is believed that the explosion happened due to a faulty fuel supply line on the vessel, which is owned by Phuket’s Thai Fu Charoen Co. When the boat was passing the Viking Cave, the crew noticed a fuel leak. Allegedly, the captain asked a crew member to take over steering and began checking the boat’s motor. When he opened the cover to one of the boat’s three motors, there was a large explosion and fire began spreading in the boat. The passengers began jumping into the water before the boat sank and were picked up by nearby tourist boats and sent on to hospitals in Phuket and Krabi, reported Bangkok Post.
Worapot Lomlim, chief of Hat Nopparat Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park, confirmed yesterday that there was a boat explosion at Viking Cave at 11:10 am.
There were 31 people on the King Poseidon 959 boat, 26 Chinese tourists, including three children, and five Thai boat staff. A rescue team delivered three of the injured to Vachira Phuket Hospital while others have been sent to Phi Phi Hospital and Krabi Hospital, reported The Phuket News.
Worapot also confirmed that it is currently believed a faulty fuel line and leakage caused the explosion but the investigation is just underway.
An official from the disaster mitigation office said it would take about a week to pull the destroyed boat from the water and confirm the reason for the explosion.
