Hotel speedboat communication goes dark after dropping anchor

KRABI: A speedboat ‘disappeared into thin air’ after being anchored off Krabi last night.

The speedboat, that belonged to Sofitel Krabi Phokeethra Golf and Spa Resort, was reported as ‘missing’ by hotel staff at about 10am today to Somsak Tepbhud, village chief of Baan Koh Kwang.

“The staff told us that they had been in contact with the boat crew yesterday evening when they dropped anchor not too far from Koh Kwang Beach in front of the hotel. They identified the boat as a twin-engine fibergkass speedboat,” said Mr Somsak.

Marine Police, Koh Hong Protection Zone officials and others teamed up to look for the missing boat and its crew, now believed to be either hijacked or sunk.

“Since the boat is not transmitting GPS signals, we cannot confirm anything at the moment,” Jampen Pormpakdee, chief of the Koh Hong Protection Zone, told the Phuket Gazette this afternoon.

— Kritsada Mueanhawong