Tourism News

NEWS ALERTS

Click to subscribe

Existing subscribers can unsubscribe here

RSS FEEDS

A speedboat sinks between Phuket and Phi Phi today

Photo by video still

Click a thumbnail to view more photographs

Speedboat Hits Hidden Object, Sinks Between Phuket and Phi Phi

By Chutima Sidasathian

Saturday, September 19, 2015

PHUKET: A speedboat that crashed into a hidden object between Phuket and Phi Phi today sank after Chinese tourists on board were transferred to a rescue boat.

The speedboat Papangkorn picked up 17 passengers from Asia Marina, near Rassada port, but the day trip to Phi Phi went wrong when the vessel struck a log or some other object in the water.

The crash came about 11am but the passengers were all successfully transferred to a second boat, Peachbhum33, off Koh Dok Mai, with other speedboats nearby if needed.

There were two crew on the speedboat that sank. It is believed all of the passengers were fitted out with lifejackets.

Comments

Comments have been disabled for this article.

Hmmm- wasn't there a severe weather warning in place banning speedboats from going to sea?

Posted by Mister ree on September 19, 2015 21:49

Ok, so what did happen to some of the containers from the sunken cargo ship off Phuket? Did these containers of rotting fish just drift off into the open ocean?
Methinks a log was not the problem here.
Better do an aerial survey and warn shipping that there are loose containers under the surface of the waters, drifting around.
Or your bigger boats may find them lurking beneath the waves too.

Posted by Robin on September 20, 2015 00:00

As I always say, these thin hull speedboats are not built for sea going trips. It are boats for on lakes.
And this boat also had not reserve buoyancy, something what normally is obligated for passenger boats.

Posted by Kurt on September 20, 2015 00:32

If true, it's great to hear all passengers were wearing life jackets. That alone is a huge improvement on just a few years back. Progress.

Posted by Duncan on September 20, 2015 08:07

Robin,
You are correct. Containers that have fallen off ships and having sufficient buoyancy are know to float just below or at the waterline, are invisible before and after hitting them.
The chances of coming in contact are slim but there have been a number of reports of yachts shearing off their keels and sinking but the cause never identifed and only assumed based on the hard impact.

Posted by MoW on September 20, 2015 16:08

I do believe all the containers were accounted for from the Sinaram Andaman and the Authorities were stationed there, but then again they dont have eyes in the back of there heads : )

Posted by Michael on September 21, 2015 02:42

As an ex boat charter owner here, there are Pershing boats and Gulfcraft boats that can hit water speeds of 50+ knots. Hitting a small floating coke bottle will punch right through their hulls, regardless of what they are made of.
Phuket and Andaman waters are dirty with floating and sunken dangers.
The navy authorities have to clean the seas, then they can be safe for longtails to super boats. I can't spell yahts.
Love the sea, we all depend on it.

Posted by Robin on September 23, 2015 04:11