Phuket tour boats overturn in storm, rescue mission launched

[Jackin1960]

Having been in the tour boat business for 30 years in the UK I know about the regulations and about safty. Ten years ago I saw boats in Thailand loading with tourists I stopped to watch and became conserned as I could see no safty equipment on the boat that would leave that evening for an island some distance off. It had no life rafts, life rings, and I could see no signs of life jackets and then to top it off they loaded a 4x4 across the bow with the thing hanging over the sides!! I told a group of back packers that it looks very unsafe and that they should check to make sure the boat has life jackets and to ask about life boats before taking the trip. But they was unconserned and said they where sure it will be fun!! You cant help some people. 

[yougivemebaby]

Why not close ports for tourist boats if have dangerous conditions ? Clearly captains can’t be trusted to postpone or cancel trips when conditions are unsafe. This happens every year. Someone needs to protect the tourists and their families. 

[SlyouThai]

The " captain " talking to the media was on the boat ? how brave of him , i guess he was the first one to get out of the boat after he took the decision to go out even with bad weather. Life is worth nothing here , bath is first .

 

That makes me sick to see that its always the same again and again and again. Kids died in the sea waiting to get rescued...

 

Nothing will change , Captain will have 500 baths fine and will go back to business in two weeks  and NOBODY WILL GIVE A SHIT .

 

 

 

 

[Nip]

28 minutes ago, CLW said:

It just speculations but on that vessel Phoenix there has been unfortunately something going very wrong.
Media reporting that the missing passengers are trapped in the boat when it sunk. One just can imagine the horrible scenes on board. RIP to the victims.
Let's wait further details from the passengers that have been rescued and from captain and the crew.

I doubt very much the truth will like the Tsunami never surface. I'm sure it has been said elsewhere but this tragedy was always going to happen. If the Marine Dept so vocal on menial matters were even remotely doing their job this tragedy could have been averted. I once took a weekend trip to Ko Racha and ended up decking the owner of the Chalong dive company for putting my life and the lives of my kids at risk. We set off from the island in an overcrowded speed boat into very choppy conditions and should have returned to the island but set off for a roller coaster ride to Chalong. Maybe 30 on board and only 10 life belts. I was not amused. Mobilise the navy and set up permanent patrols and this problem will be solved. It's all to do with money nothing to do with safety or intelligence. The only thing sure in Thailand is nothing is sure.

[Lupatria]

1 hour ago, saminoz said:

Exactly right!  Anyone with a reasonable amount of seagoing experience should be able to recognise this scenario and act accordingly.

As the old adage says: "the right time to take in sail in such conditions, is when you first think of it".

The "captain's" experience and qualifications should be put under a microscope, as should the construction, modification history, maintenace and safety inspection records of this passenger vessel.

Of course, this being Thailand..............................

"Helplessly Hoping" should be considered as an alternative national anthem here.

[NCC1701A]

UPDATE at 1:45pm: Thai media now reporting at least FORTY dead after tourist boat Phoenix sank last night in bad weather near Phuket. Divers found 26 bodies inside the boat. 16 still missing. Credit: ThaiPBSnews #เรือล่ม #Thailand

https://twitter.com/RichardBarrow/status/1015125401910198272

Edited July 6, 2018 by NCC1701A

[quadperfect]

Why did they stop the search last night? There was no wind or swell or rain.

its just incompetence to the max. I bet many died in the night. Drowned from fear and shock. Right there a few kilometers from shore.

Geeze it pains me to think they stop and go home for a rest.

 

 

[Kieran00001]

1 minute ago, quadperfect said:

Why did they stop the search last night? There was no wind or swell or rain.

its just incompetence to the max. I bet many died in the night.

Right there a few kilometers from shore.

Geeze it pains me to think they stop and go home for a rest.

 

 

 

Quote

Drowned from fear and shock.

They drowned because they were trapped in the hull of a boat that sank, they picked up the people on the surface of the water, the ones at the bottom of the sea they left until it was safer to do the recovery, it is not as if there is a chance they would be alive down there.

[happy chappie]

A few of these would be handy.cant understand how a place like phuket with 10,000s of people going into the sea each day haven't got anything like this..

[NextStationBangkok]

2 hours ago, sawadee1947 said:

If you go to a 3rd world country you will get 3rd world safety standard.

Safety is always good in Thailand, but weather is bad. Passengers follow the rules, if you don't wear the life jacket, and how to float, you are in trouble.

 

But 50 is too many to rescue, also some can be hit by the rescue boat itself, And bad weather can hamper the rescue efforts if rescue boat is small.

 

My recommendation is, Phuket Island tourism should be closed for another 10 years for the faster recovery of the marine life.

 

Now the damage is too beyond repair, water is not clean, too many boats, there are no fishes to show. Why to open for tourism ?

 

[saminoz]

3 minutes ago, Kieran00001 said:

 

They drowned because they were trapped in the hull of a boat that sank, they picked up the people on the surface of the water, the ones at the bottom of the sea they left until it was safer to do the recovery, it is not as if there is a chance they would be alive down there.

It's not often you're right, but you're wrong - again!

They reported that 16 bodies were found in the sunken boat, the rest have been pulled from the sea.

[NCC1701A]

3 minutes ago, happy chappie said:

A few of these would be handy.cant understand how a place like phuket with 10,000s of people going into the sea each day haven't got anything like this..

one word:

 

CORRUPTION.

[SlyouThai]

1 minute ago, happy chappie said:

A few of these would be handy.cant understand how a place like phuket with 10,000s of people going into the sea each day haven't got anything like this..

 

 

because it cost money , and because they dont give a shit about people dying, if they did that would do something about road safety for a start . Kids died trapped in this boat with their parents , nobody will give a shit. meanwhile they gonna build a new phuket airport.... what could go wrong heh ?   BATH BATH BATH BATH

[quadperfect]

6 minutes ago, Kieran00001 said:

 

They drowned because they were trapped in the hull of a boat that sank, they picked up the people on the surface of the water, the ones at the bottom of the sea they left until it was safer to do the recovery, it is not as if there is a chance they would be alive down there.

17 were reported floaters

[Kieran00001]

2 minutes ago, saminoz said:

It's not often you're right, but you're wrong - again!

They reported that 16 bodies were found in the sunken boat, the rest have been pulled from the sea.

 

This is from an interview this morning.

Quote

“I assume they are trapped inside the boat... but I wish some of them have survived,” Phuket governor Noraphat Plodthong told reporters earlier Friday.

“I have not yet received any reports of people floating in the sea,” he said,

 

By the way, your avatar, 1%, is that as in the Outlaws?

[NextStationBangkok]

39 minutes ago, Anythingleft? said:

Greed, not negligence. An underlying factor in too many of these reports.......

Sent from my SM-N950F using Tapatalk
 

Not only speed kills, also greed!

 

Why to load 100 in one boat ??

 

Thailand should limit to 25-50 maximum per boat, if they cannot rescue more than 50 in a day.

 

They know weather is bad, why to send the boats ? cancellation expensive ?

 

<deleted>**g money kills people

[Easy Come Easy Go]

No doubt this is down to poor safety checks and safety procedures. Nothing will change here until the mentality changes, which will be a long time if at all 

[LivinginKata]

1 minute ago, Easy Come Easy Go said:

No doubt this is down to poor safety checks and safety procedures. Nothing will change here until the mentality changes, which will be a long time if at all 

 

Trouble is no need to have checks and procedures. Just pay off the marine officials ...? 

[cardinalblue]

Does Thailand even have a harbormaster?

 

I wonder if the Captain went down with his boat? How could he leave if he knew there were still people inside? I hold crew less responsible but sure hope they made every effort until the last second of sinking. I have no problem with them surviving but sure hope they weren't the first ones to jump overboard. One extra minute of effort could have meant saving one more life...

 

Terrible if kids were not the first ones put overboard and there ends up being a high number of kids in that hull.

 

Probably complete chaos and poor evacuation plans and execution.....sad

Edited July 6, 2018 by cardinalblue

[Rimmer]

Some off topic/troll posts and replies have been removed

[peperobi]

Are the boat operators able to check the weather condition and forecast? I don't think so, so many times I saw similar things in Thailand.

The international sea right is very clear; in case you are the commandant of one business boat, you must have a boat license and a captain license too.

Do they have one????

[LivinginKata]

4 minutes ago, cardinalblue said:

<snip>

I wonder if the Captain went down with his boat? How could he leave if he knew there were still people inside? I hold crew less responsible but sure hope they made every effort until the last second of sinking. I have no problem with them surviving but sure hope they weren't the first ones to jump overboard. One extra minute of effort could have meant saving one more life...

 

Terrible if kids were not the first ones put overboard and there ends up being a high number of kids in that hull.

 

Probably complete chaos and poor evacuation plans and execution.....sad

 

Captain and crew first into life rafts. See photo of dry captain in his fancy uniform giving an interview. Sickening

[ChrisY1]

2 hours ago, lvr181 said:

"Of course, this being Thailand.............................."  AKA, TIT. 

Then there's telling 90 Chinese that they will have to wait out the storm and forget the buffet...that wouldn't work!

[saminoz]

15 minutes ago, peperobi said:

Are the boat operators able to check the weather condition and forecast? I don't think so, so many times I saw similar things in Thailand.

The international sea right is very clear; in case you are the commandant of one business boat, you must have a boat license and a captain license too.

Do they have one????

Proper seamen check the forecast regularly, not just before you leave the harbour.

The sea is extremely variable and you need to keep aware of the changes.

Not checking the forecast regularly while on a full day trip in the monsson season seems to me to be entirely negligent, especially when entrusted with the lives of so any passengers.

[sydneyjed]

Does Phuket have any 'active' marine police?What weather warnings were given(if any)and by who?These are just two questions but looking at the video footage it looked business as normal with the almighty tourist dollar ruling the roost!

[stevenl]

12 minutes ago, sydneyjed said:

Does Phuket have any 'active' marine police?What weather warnings were given(if any)and by who?These are just two questions but looking at the video footage it looked business as normal with the almighty tourist dollar ruling the roost!

Weather warnings given were very generic, this seems more an attempt from authorities to absolve themselves from any blame.

 

Conditions were quite calm yesterday, with a squall in the morning and longer squalls later in the day, and the latter caused havoc.

 

Edited July 6, 2018 by stevenl

[Rimmer]

A flame a reply and another flame from the same person have been removed:

 

7) You will respect fellow members and post in a civil manner. No personal attacks, hateful or insulting towards other members, (flaming) Stalking of members on either the forum or via PM will not be allowed.

[Lampang2]

The " captain " talking to the media was on the boat ? how brave of him , i guess he was the first one to get out of the boat after he took the decision to go out even with bad weather. Life is worth nothing here , bath is first .
 
That makes me sick to see that its always the same again and again and again. Kids died in the sea waiting to get rescued...
 
Nothing will change , Captain will have 500 baths fine and will go back to business in two weeks  and NOBODY WILL GIVE A SHIT .
 
 
 
 

Don't forget the Wai.
More important than the 500b

[CLW]

A few of these would be handy.cant understand how a place like phuket with 10,000s of people going into the sea each day haven't got anything like this..

Because it costs money to buy and maintain them.

[LivinginKata]

Just now, CLW said:

45 minutes ago, happy chappie said:

A few of these would be handy.cant understand how a place like phuket with 10,000s of people going into the sea each day haven't got anything like this..

Because it costs money to buy and maintain them.

 

 And there is not much left in the budget after pay all the tea monies and brown letters.

 

We all know Thailand will never really develop while corruption is accepted and thrives at all levels of gov and society. Everyone wants their share of the 'cake'.