Nineteen people, including 16 tourists, had to be pulled from a raging sea near James Bond Island, northeast of Phuket, after a two-vessel collision sank their tour boat in Phang Nga Bay yesterday.
The accident occurred at Khao Hua Yai, west of James Bond Island in Phang Nga Bay, at about 1:30pm.
Among those rescued from the sea were four tourists from Belgium and 12 tourists from Norway, reported rescue workers from Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation in Phang Nga.
Phang Nga Vice Governor Eakkarat Leeseng and officers from the Tourist Assistance Center later arrived at Phang Nga Hospital and confirmed that the 16 tourists and three Thais taken to the hospital for treatment had suffered only minor injuries.
The 19 were on board a boat named Wararat and it was raining when the group left Khao Poh Pier. An officer that interviewed the boat driver said that visibility was not good and he could not see clearly.
The Wararat crashed into another tour boat, named 999 Tour 41, driven by Suthin Sutthakit, 43, with 12 Chinese tourists on board.
The Wararat sank, while no tourists on board the 999 Tour 41 suffered any injuries.
Rescue workers safely recovered all 19 passengers from the Wararat, brought them to shore, and then to Phang Nga Hospital.
“It was very lucky that they were all wearing life jackets. We always warn tourists to wear life jackets for safety,” Vice Gov. Eakkarat said.
Takua Thung Police Deputy Chief Investigator Lt. Col. Somkhit Khaosang said that his officers had yet to discover enough details to determine who, if anyone, will be held legally responsible for the accident.
Story: The Phuket News
