Speedboat engulfed in flames sinks off Koh Samui, Thailand

A speedboat engulfed in flames sank off Thailand’s island of Koh Samui last night. According to the Thailand Maritime Enforcement Command Centre (Thai-MECC), the boat caught fire near the Bang Rak boat pier in tambon Bo Phut of Koh Samui district, at around midnight.

The emergency response team arrived at the scene and found the two-engine speedboat, named the Silver Star, completely engulfed in flames. The boat was moored about 50 metres from the shore and the fire was promptly put out, Bangkok Post reported. However, the boat sustained significant damage and eventually sank.

Thankfully, no one was hurt in the incident. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation, and the damages are being assessed. The fire did not spread to several other boats that were moored nearby.

The boat was operated by the tour boat company Siam Experience.

Last year, there were a few boat fires in Thailand.

On December 11, a tour boat moored at a pier in Phuket caught fire causing damages but no injuries or deaths. Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew reported that no one was on board the ship at the time of the fire, so there were no injuries or fatalities, but the boat did sustain damages.

People at the scene reported that they initially saw flames on the right side of the boat. Shortly after they heard an explosion and the boat was engulfed in flames.

On April 23, a massive onboard fire destroyed and sank a yacht at the Yacht Haven Marina in Phuket’s Thalang district. Officials who inspected the 12 metre catamaran believed the fire may have been caused by an electrical short-circuit. No passengers were on the vessel when it was scorched, and no injuries were reported. The yacht, a luxury catamaran, was known as the ‘Jimmy Blue’, and had been docked at Phuket Yacht Haven Marina when the fire gutted it.