Phuket marina wishes boat-fire victims speedy recovery

PHUKET: Royal Phuket Marina (RPM) issued a statement wishing the speedy recovery of the two men seriously injured after a speedboat engine exploded near the marina’s fuel dock yesterday morning.

“Royal Phuket Marina staff acted quickly and professionally,” the statement said, noting that safety precautions were followed.

“[RPM staff used] on-site fire safety equipment, doused the blaze, assisted the speedboat staff off the boat and moved the burning boat away from the fuel dock, causing no further damage.”

Two of the victims were seriously burned, with one having burns to more than 50 per cent of his body and the other with burns to about 40-50 per cent of his body. The other three received only minor burns, explained Sub Lt Chatree Vetrangsi of the Phuket City Police (story here).

Only two of the men injured were on the boat and employees of The Village Coconut Island Beach Resort Phuket, confirmed the resort’s director of sales and marketing, Tom Gordon. It remains unclear why the other three men injured in the incident were in the vicinity of the boat when it caught fire.

“There were no guests injured in the incident, as our policy is to never have customers on board when we are fueling. However, our thoughts and wishes go out to the one member of staff who is making a speedy recovery in hospital,” Mr Gordon told the Phuket Gazette this morning.