Weather hampers search efforts for missing Phuket fisherman

PHUKET: Heavy weather off Phuket today hampered search efforts for a crew member who went missing from a large fishing boat on Thursday.

The Royal Thai Navy began their search Thursday evening, after they received a report that Suirya Buasri, 50, had gone missing from Nor Thappornnamchok about 15 nautical miles off Phuket.

“We conducted searches by boat and helicopter yesterday, but weren’t able to locate Mr Suirya,” explained Capt Pongjak Uraima of the Royal Thai Navy.

“None of the more than 40 crew members on the boat know what happened to him. Once they realized that he was missing, they stopped the boat and contacted the owner.”

The Navy requested that fishing boats and tour boats, especially those operating on the west coast, keep their eyes out for Mr Suirya.

— Kritsada Mueanhawong