Tourists rescued from blazing Phuket ferry

PHUKET: More than 80 passengers, including tourists, and five crew were safely evacuated from a ferry that caught fire while en route from Krabi to Phuket this afternoon.

Maj Anurak Parinyasathiragul of the Krabi Marine Police confirmed that he received a report that the Ao Nang Princess 5 was in distress at 4pm.

Staff at Ao Nang Travel and Tour Co, which operates the Ao Nang Princess ferry service, told the Phuket Gazette that the boat caught fire while passing Poda Island.

“About 80 European and Asian passengers and five crew are now safe in Phuket. They were all evacuated by speedboats,” said the staffer, who asked not to be named.

“No persons are unaccounted for.”

The staffer said that it is believed that the blaze started near the engine at the back of the boat.

“We have yet to confirm the cause of the fire. We just don’t know yet,” the staffer added.

— Chutharat Plerin