35 rescued after tour boat sinks off Phuket, Thailand

The Bangkok Post reports that 35 people were safely rescued after a tour boat sank off the coast of Phuket province in southern Thailand on Monday, January 13.

The incident occurred at around 12:30 local time on Monday when the catamaran tour boat Ameray 888 suffered water ingress and began to sink approximately 1.6 nautical miles off the island of Koh Racha Yai in southeastern Phuket.

An initial investigation revealed that one of the boat’s starboard side glass windows had broken free, causing water to enter the vessel. The boat sank 20 minutes later, and all 35 people who were on board ended up in the sea.

The crews of some nearby Good Samaritan vessels successfully rescued the 33 passengers, a tour guide, and an apprentice. The 33 passengers have all been identified as Chinese nationals.

A local marine official credited the successful rescue to the fact that all of the boat’s occupants had donned lifejackets as their vessel began to sink.