One missing after fishing boat sinks off Phuket

One person has gone missing after a fishing boat with seven crewmen on board sank off Phuket, Thailand, on Wednesday, February 26.

The boat, identified as Jor Kongwattana 54, sank some 2.9 kilometres off Racha Noi Island at 11:50 local time.

Another fishing boat later arrived at the area and rescued one Thai and five Myanmar nationals from the sunken vessel. However, no trace has yet been found of Jor Kongwattana 54‘s seventh crewman, who has been identified as a Myanmar national.

The six survivors have since been brought to shore by a Royal Thai Navy patrol boat as other navy vessels continue to scour the area for the missing fisherman.

Jor Kongwattana 54‘s captain said that the boat suffered engine failure and water ingress just before sinking.

A navy official told local reporters that the boat’s owner has yet to decide whether the salvage of the wreck will proceed.