2 killed and 3 rescued in boat collision near Koh Samui

A fishing boat and an oil tanker collided near Koh Samui, an island in the southern province of Surat Thani. Three of the five fishermen were rescued, while the other two died.

The Fisheries Checkpoint Management Centre Region 7 in Surat Thani notified the relevant departments at 2.20pm yesterday that the fishing boat named Talay Nam Chok 8 (Lucky Sea 8) with five crew members collided with an oil tanker named Ocean Marine.

The collision occurred about 70 kilometres away from the coast of Koh Samui. The crew of the oil tanker was able to rescue three of the fishermen while the remaining two, unfortunately, drowned. The deceased have been identified as a 62 year old Thai man named Manop Wantone, and a 50 year old Lao man named Praiwan Udom.

According to a report on ThaiRath, Praiwan’s head was cut due to the impact of the collision, and his body was later found in the sea near the boat. Manop’s body is still missing and a search party is currently looking for him.

The crew members rescued included a 65 year old Thai man named Sompong Charoensak, 46 year old Burmese man named Chit Tarn, and 33 year old Burmese man named Ko U.

At present, the cause of the collision has not yet been revealed, and further investigations will be conducted by the authorities.

This isn’t the first case of an accident at sea. In January, an oil tanker exploded and caught fire at the Ruammite Dockyard in the Leam Ya district of Samut Prakarn province near Bangkok. Eight people and a Pit Bull dog were killed on the scene. Four people were injured, while over 120 who were residents living nearby the explosion scene were affected.

The biggest tragedy in recent times came in December last year when the Royal Thai Navy ship HTMS Sukhothai sank about 32 kilometres off the coast of Prachuap Khiri with 105 crew aboard. Seventy-six were rescued, and the bodies of 24 others have been recovered.