20-passenger speedboat collides with another at Phuket pier

PHUKET: A speedboat carrying 20 passengers crashed with another at the Boat Lagoon in Koh Kaew yesterday evening. No injuries were reported.

A speedboat belonging to ‘Golden Dragon Tour 1’ was carrying passengers from Koh Phi Phi to Phuket when it collided with, and landed partly on top of, another speedboat, ‘K. Kanreab‘, which was not carrying any passengers at the time.

“Teerachai Maimard, the “captain” of Golden Dragon Tour1, sped up the boat in order to tread through shallow water. Unfortunately, the hydraulic hose that controlled the boat’s helm broke down and the captain lost control,” said Maj Tosapol Montasit of the Phuket Marine Police.

“Capt Teerachai coordinated with ‘Suriyan Marine’, another boat in the area, to transport his passengers to the pier at the Boat Lagoon,” he added.

K. Kanreab had left the Boat Lagoon pier at 4pm and was heading to Port Yamu in Pa Khlok, but was stranded in shallow water and unable to move forward.

Both parties agreed that ‘Golden Dragon Tour 1’ would take full responsibility for the damages, but police are investigating further and questioning both captains.

— Kritsada Mueanhawong