Tourists survive speedboat crash in Trat

A tourist speedboat crashed into a reef 16 miles off the Laem Thian area on Koh Kut, Trat on January 24.

The Trat Coastal Aquaculture Research and Development Center (CARDC) dispatched three marine rescue speedboats at 2.30pm to the island with the aid of 12 tourists and three crew members who were stranded. However, at one point the rescue teams lost contact with the group waiting for help, said a CARDC spokesperson.

“After 30 minutes, we were in the dark about the tourists and crew. It was a race against time and the vastness of the ocean.”

Undeterred, the rescue speedboats scoured the waters, expanding their search radius when the victims and their ill-fated vessel proved elusive. Battling treacherous waves, the rescue teams clung to the hope that the speedboat had been carried away by the currents.

In a twist of fate, the efforts of the marine rescue teams bore fruit at 5.15pm. A collective sigh of relief echoed as the exhausted tourists were spotted, bobbing in the water, adorned with life jackets that had become their lifelines, said a CARDC spokesperson.

“Their condition was weary, but they clung to those life jackets like beacons of hope.”

All 15 individuals were successfully rescued and transferred to Koh Kood Hospital, reported Pattaya News.

The ordeal left them in need of an urgent medical examination, particularly those who inadvertently consumed seawater in the struggle for survival.

“Drinking seawater was an unfortunate consequence of the ordeal, but their resilience prevailed. The initial examinations at Koh Kood Hospital will ensure they receive the necessary care.”

In related news, a speedboat collision off Mai Thon Island near Phuket on New Year’s Eve claimed the life of a five year old Russian girl, with others facing life-threatening injuries. The tragedy took a bizarre turn as reports surfaced, revealing that the 41 year old captain, currently on life support, tested positive for an amphetamine-related substance.