Fire erupts on yacht off Na Jomtien coast, no casualties reported
Electrical fault suspected as crews race to contain offshore inferno
In Chon Buri’s Sattahip district, a fire broke out on a yacht off the coast of Na Jomtien yesterday morning, May 3, with no reported casualties. The incident occurred at approximately 6.20am, prompting a quick response from the Na Jomtien disaster prevention and mitigation office.
Initially moored at Ao Ban Amphur, the yacht was attended to by small boats from the Ocean Marina Yacht Club, equipped with fire extinguishing tools. Firefighters, supported by civilian volunteers, utilised fire boats, speedboats, and jet skis to tackle the flames.
The fire, which is suspected to have started in the engine room, spread to the passenger deck, taking nearly an hour to be contained. While the full extent of the damage is still being assessed, the cause of the fire is believed to be an electrical short-circuit, reported Bangkok Post.
Chidchanok Naknoi, the 58 year old owner of the yacht, recounted that he was at the stern when he detected the smell of burning wires and soon observed smoke emanating from the engine room. Despite his efforts to use a fire extinguisher, the flames intensified, forcing him to escape in a rubber life raft.
In similar news, a boat carrying 28 tourists on a diving excursion near Koh Tao caught fire, triggering a rapid evacuation led by the Royal Thai Navy’s (RTN) Marine Department in Surat Thani province.
The incident took place at 9.25am on March 16, when RTN Captain Natthaphon Sinphunphon, the department’s deputy director, was notified by Koh Tao’s rescue centre about a fire in the engine room of the vessel.
The boat, named Davy Jones’ Locker and operated by Davy Jones Locker Co., Ltd., has a gross tonnage of 23.29. It ignited while en route to a diving site located around 5 to 6 nautical miles off the coast of the island.
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