Royal Thai Navy rescues 143 tourists stranded on island off Phuket

Sailors from the Royal Thai Navy (RTN) Third Area Command successfully rescued 143 tourists stranded on Racha Yai Island due to severe weather conditions and returned them safely to Phuket.

Heavy rain and strong winds had created waves up to 4 metres high, making it impossible for tourist boats to reach the island, according to the Third Area Command based at Cape Panwa. The dangerous conditions left the foreign tourists unable to make the journey back to Phuket.

In response to the urgent situation, the Third Naval Area Command quickly deployed personnel from the Marine Security Unit and the vessel T-111 to undertake a rescue mission. After receiving a request for assistance, naval forces evacuated all the tourists and transported them to Phuket Deep Seaport, reported Phuket News.

The operation was completed smoothly, and no injuries were reported, the Third Area Command stated.

In related news, a group of tourists found themselves in a perilous situation when their raft capsized in a raging river in Chiang Mai province. Swift action by a team of elephant riders ensured their safe rescue.

The incident occurred when a sudden strong current overturned the tourists’ raft, leaving them stranded in the middle of the river. Clinging desperately to the tip of a tree, the tourists awaited rescue as the waters surged around them.

In other news, passengers on an IndiGo flight from Mumbai to Phuket endured a travel nightmare on September 13 as their journey turned into a chaotic ordeal.

The flight was unexpectedly diverted to Penang International Airport in Malaysia due to bad weather, leaving travellers stranded for hours with clogged washrooms, no food or water, and stuck on the tarmac for over three hours.

Passengers were not allowed to disembark, according to an NDTV Profit team member on board. With no prior approvals to land at Penang, the airline struggled to manage the situation.