Freak wave wreaks havoc on Phi Phi long-tail boats

PHUKET: A freak wave pounded the popular Phuket day-trip destination of Phi Phi island early this morning damaging 15 boats in Tonsai Bay.

Though fourteen long-tail boats and one speedboat were damaged by the wave, no injuries were reported.

“Fortunately, the wave hit early in the morning so nobody was out in their boat and nobody was injured,” long-tail boat owner, Pornchai Suparb told the Phuket Gazette.

“When I came down to the beach I found my boat and many others damaged, many of them had lost their engines and the speedboat was beached,” he said.

Mr Pornchai quickly gathered villagers to help recover the submerged engines.

Krabi Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Chief Thalerngsak Phuwayanapong issued a warning shortly after the incident warning all boat users to be careful as heavy winds and more big waves were expected to rock the coast.

— Kritsada Muenhawong