Tourists rescued after speedboat sinks off Surat Thani coast
A speedboat carrying tourists on a fishing trip was hit by large waves, causing it to take on water and eventually sink. Five people were left stranded in the sea before being rescued by local fishing boats and the marine police.
At 12.20am today, the marine police received a distress call from relatives of the speedboat’s driver, alerting them that the boat was sinking. The marine police, led by Yuranan Meedet, quickly dispatched a rescue team from Surat Thani to the scene.
Relatives of the victims reported that the boat was struck by large waves, which caused water to flood into the vessel. Despite attempts to pump the water out, the situation worsened, leading to the boat sinking.
Onboard the speedboat were five tourists, four men and one woman, who were headed out for a fishing trip. As the boat sank, they were left floating in the sea, awaiting rescue, reported KhaoSod.
Fortunately, nearby fishing boats came to their aid, providing initial assistance before the marine police arrived. The marine police then transported all five individuals safely back to Laem Thuat Pier in Don Sak district.
In related news, the Sri Thong Pae 7 fishing trawler was engulfed in flames while refuelling in the Andaman Sea, leading to a rescue operation that saved the lives of nine crew members. The incident occurred on April 28, 15 nautical miles southwest of Koh Surin islands, off Phang Nga.
Upon receiving the distress signal at approximately 3.30am, the Thai Maritime Enforcement Command Centre Region 3 (Thai-MECC Region 3) initiated a rescue operation. The crew on board the ill-fated trawler consisted of two Thais and seven Myanmar nationals.
Another fishing trawler, Charn Udom Sombat 1, spotted the blazing vessel about half an hour later. The crews swiftly evacuated the nine crew members from the burning ship and took them ashore.
