Pattaya fishing boat capsized in storm, 2 crew rescued, 2 missing
2 members of a fishing boat crew are still missing after a strong storm that capsized their boat off the Pattaya coast. Yesterday morning 2 people on board the boat were rescued after it was flipped in the high waves but confirmed that 2 more crew were aboard the ship and have not been found. The accident took place off Nongprue near the island of Pai.
The unnamed boat captain and another crew member were picked up by another local fishing boat in the area, but they were reported to have spent quite a while in the open water first, clinging to debris to stay afloat about 1.6 kilometres from the shore. The two crew members missing in the storm were a 60 year old man and a 31 year old man.
The captain of the boat that rescued the 2 men recalled rough waters and torrential downpours with a huge wave that capsized the fishing boat. He found the men shouting for help, holding on for dear life to big empty water jugs floating on the sea surface.
The Royal Thai Navy was contacted about the capsizing yesterday morning and naval officers searched all day for the 2 missing crew members without any luck. They continued the search this morning.
About 50 kilometres away, Rayong saw a similar tragedy in the same heavy storm, while rains pounded many parts of Thailand. A fishing boat there was also capsized in the storm with one crew member rescued. A second crewman was later found dead and a third is still lost at sea as rescue workers search.
Chon Buri has been particularly hard hit in the recent stormy weather in Thailand with high wind alerts and heavy rain. The Thai Meteorological Department is forecasting many more storms to come and is advising all local fishermen on small fishing boats to stay on land, especially overnight when the storms have been intensifying.
SOURCE: The Pattaya News
