Not-so-lucky yacht sinks

KOH PHI PHI: A sailing yacht sank in Ton Sai bay, off Koh Phi Phi Don around 2 pm on October 7.

The unfortunate vessel, named Lucky, departed from Phuket on October 6 and anchored in Ton Sai bay in Krabi.

According to Pol Lt Col Somchart Supawut, inspector of Krabi Marine Police, on the same day, the yacht raised its sails to leave Ton Sai bay before the anchor had been completely pulled in. A strong gust of wind then caught the sails and capsized the boat, which then sank.

On board were the owner of the boat, a 39-year-old American identified only as Mr Smith, along with another American, an Irishman, a Norwegian, an Australian and two Thai crew members. The crew of a Krabi Marine Police patrol boat were close enough to hear their calls for help and responded quickly to rescue the stranded yachtsmen. No one was injured.

Col Somchart told the Gazette, “Luckily for them, we were just about 900 meters from their boat when it sank. It was about a 15-person, wooden sailing yacht, and the owner was able to salvage the yacht on the same day, at around 5 pm.”

Pol Lt Col Jakra Saowakon, chief of Koh Phi Phi Substation, told the Gazette, “The yacht owner hasn’t reported to us so we don’t have any additional information about him. I heard that when he got his yacht back after it was salvaged, he went back to Phuket.”