Three rescued after boat sinks off Phuket, 6 still missing

PHUKET: A Royal Thai Navy search and rescue team this morning plucked four men from stormy seas after their fishing boat sank about two nautical miles off Promthep Cape.

One of the men was pronounced dead on arrival. Six other crew members are still missing.

The Third Naval Area Command responded to a call at 9:20pm yesterday from a person concerned that the Thai-flag fishing vessel Bumroong Thai Nawa was in trouble. After a four-hour search there was no sign of the fishing boat or the crew. Faced with severe weather conditions, the rescue boat turned back to shore at 1:30am and then resumed the search at first light.

“The deceased was the boat’s captain, identified as Prayad Kaewklahan. The other three are now safe but exhausted,” LCdr Wirapong Jenjaruscheewakul told the Gazette this morning.

One Thai and nine Burmese men were on board when the vessel began taking on water yesterday afternoon. The search continues by air and sea for the remaining six crew members, said the commander.

— Chutharat Plerin