Sunken boat survivor recounts her harrowing experience

A chilling tale of a capsised tourist boat survivor off the coast of Trang speaks out against the delayed rescue efforts that led to the death of her mother in law, and her child contracting a severe lung infection. The incident unfolded near Pak Meng Bridge in the Mai Fat district on May 4 and resulted in 14 individuals fighting for their lives in the water.

The survivor, 40 year old Yupares Triprasertkul, recounted the harrowing moments as the boat capsised just 2 kilometres from shore. Despite the urgency, rescue teams took more than 30 minutes to arrive, a delay with fatal consequences.

Her mother in law, unable to swim and trapped beneath the boat had drowned. Her 11 year old daughter, also trapped under the capsised vessel for over half an hour, is now hospitalised with a lung infection.

She detailed how the boat, supposedly just two months old and possibly overladen by a heavy roof, flipped without warning.

There were no orders to wear life jackets after leaving the Emerald Cave, with some tourists choosing to take them off due to fatigue, contrary to claims that everyone was wearing them.

She stressed the crew did not emphasize wearing life jackets at all times, instead only underlining the fines for lost snorkelling gear.

Conflicting blame

In the aftermath, claims from a high-ranking official attributed the accident to tourists sitting on one side, causing imbalance, and not adhering to the crew’s instructions.

Yupares denied those claims, asserting that the passengers were balanced and that there were no prior warnings. The finger pointing, suggesting negligence on the part of the tourists, adds insult to injury for those who suffered loss.

She acknowledged that some boats, including other tourist vessels, did arrive quickly, but none were equipped to assist those trapped under the capsised boat. It wasn’t until a concerted effort with ropes that the remaining individuals were freed.

She expressed gratitude for the medical staff and rescuers on shore but remained haunted by the misinformation and blame placed on the tourists, reported Khaosod.

The incident raised serious questions about the readiness of emergency services, especially during peak tourist seasons. With accommodations and boats near capacity due to the holiday period, the lack of a standby rescue team in a region frequented by tourists is alarming.

The tragedy illustrates the need for improved safety measures and quicker emergency responses to prevent future loss of life in such popular tourist destinations.