Chinese join search for 14 missing tourists off Phuket

[webfact]

Chinese join search for 14 missing tourists

By SALINEE PARP 
THE NATION

 

 

Death toll rises to 42; minister calls it country’s second worst sea disaster.
 

THAI and Chinese authorities continued their search for 14 Chinese tourists who are still missing after the “Phoenix” diving yacht sank in the rough sea on the way back from a popular snorkelling spot off Phuket on Thursday.

 

The death toll from the boat’s capsizing has risen to 42 while 14 passengers remain unaccounted for. The number of missing persons was updated and confirmed as of press time following the retrieval of a body from the sea yesterday. 

 

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha is scheduled to visit the victims in Phuket and give encouragement to officials and rescuers today.

 

Chinese Ambassador Lyu Jian, who went to the search and rescue opertion command centre for updates on the sunken boat victims at Chalong Bay, vowed that even if there were only 1 per cent hope left the search would continue. He also said China would send two more experts to join its 17-strong team to assist with the Thai authority’s investigation. 

 

Tourism and Sport Minister Weerasak Kowsurat said Thailand and China would join hands in three operations to quickly resolve this tragedy: the search of missing tourists until the last one is found; the investigation into the cause; and care for the victims and their relatives. 

 

 

A centre has been established at Phuket International Airport to ensure smooth flow of information and help for tourist victims and their relatives. He said a Chinese interpreter volunteer had been assigned to take care of each victim’s relatives. So far, 50 families have arrived in Phuket from China in the hope of getting updates and being reunited with their loved ones. 

 

The airport centre is in addition to the existing information centres for this case in Phuket; other centres are at two hospitals’ morgues to proceed with collection of bodies and at the Phuket City Hall to provide information via phone numbers 076- 685394 and 076-685395 to relatives who had not travelled to Thailand.

 

“This tragedy is Thailand’s second worst sea disaster after the 2004 tsunami. No one wants this to happen. If this case were solved quickly on the basis of trust [between the two nations] and brings clarity to the society, it would change this crisis into building more confidence in Thai tourism,” he said.

 

Phuket Governor Norraphat Plodthong affirmed the search had been continuously conducted by divers in the area where the boat sank, by boat patrol and air patrol and had already expanded to the waters of Krabi and Phang Nga.

 

Provincial Police Region 8 chief Pol Lt-General Sorasak Yenprem said police had interviewed 40 witnesses and had already filed charges against the captains of the Phoenix and another yacht “The Senereta”. Both boats capsized on Thursday afternoon while returning from Koh Racha to the island resort of Phuket. While passengers on board the Senereta were safe, serious casualties occurred among those aboard the Phoenix, which carried 93 passengers and 12 crew members. While 49 passengers and crew managed to flee the sinking Phoenix, 42 people died and another 14 are still missing.

 

 

Sorasak said that the Phoenix captain was initially hit by the charge of recklessness causing deaths and injuries to others and property damage while the Senereta captain was initially hit with the charge of recklessness causing injuries and property damages. Both captains denied the charges.

 

Third Naval Region deputy commander Rear Admiral Charoenpol Khumrasee said the related agencies’ meeting had concluded that the Navy-led search for 14 missing tourists near Koh Lanta Noi’s beaches along with several islets would be done in parallel with the Marine Department-supervised mission to lift the boat in order to look for any missing bodies there.

 

Meanwhile, tour boats were yesterday allowed to operate from Phuket’s Chalong Bay to short-distance attractions as many people had already booked their trips. Boats had been banned from departing the Chalong Bay on Friday and Saturday, but the ban was lifted yesterday. 

 

The authorities also required tour boats to put safety measures in place and made it mandatory for all tourists on-board to wear life vests properly.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30349605

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-07-09

[Get Real]

Another terrible accident that quickly seems to put put in the shadow of the cave rescue operation. However, that might be because they only find dead people at present moment. Let´s just not forget that some where saved, and the terrible circumstances this brings to the people that are working with search and rescue everyday and the relatives to the many victims. Let´s hope they find all missing dead or alive, even if it seems more and more far fetched.

 

Weather warnings or no weather warnings. Now is the time to round up the tour fleet all over the country and inform and educate about working with care and respect for their customers. Time to start see a life as a valuable person and really be awake and watch out for the power of the ocean.

[Fex Bluse]

So very tragic. With so many incidents like this in TH maybe the goverment can consider a "90-Day Rescue Visa" or "Rescue Tourism" 

 

 

[coulson]

1 hour ago, Fex Bluse said:

So very tragic. With so many incidents like this in TH maybe the goverment can consider a "90-Day Rescue Visa" or "Rescue Tourism" 

 

 

Or just consider a blanket 90 days exempt, with the ever growing likelihood you could end up in hospital during your stay.

[webfact]

Chinese relatives wait for news after Thai tourist boat sinking

By Philip Wen and Chayut Setboonsarng

 

A rescue boat is seen during a search operation for missing passengers of a capsized tourist boat in Phuket, Thailand July 7, 2018. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha

 

PHUKET/BANGKOK, Thailand (Reuters) - Rescuers in Thailand on Sunday said they would work through the night to move the bodies of 41 people, including 13 children, who died after a boat carrying Chinese tourists sank off the coast of Phuket, from hospitals to a Buddhist temple.

 

Rescuers on Sunday delayed plans to lift the sunken Phoenix, which went down in bad weather on Thursday with 105 people on board, including 93 Chinese tourists, and 12 Thai crew, due to heavy waves, said navy commander Vice Admiral Somnuk Prempramoj, who is based in the area and part of the search operation.

 

Authorities have confirmed 41 deaths, 15 missing and 49 have been rescued. Divers, including 17 from China, had planned to retrieve a body from the sunken vessel on Sunday but the search was called off because of adverse weather conditions.

 

Of the 41 dead, 13 were children, said Chalermpong Sukontapol, director of the Vachira Phuket Hospital where the dead were taken.

 

"Of the 41 Chinese tourists that died, there were eight boys, ten men, five girls, and 18 women," said Chalermpong.

Altogether, fifteen temples have been made available to relatives who wish to cremate their loved ones in Thailand, authorities said.

 

Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha is due to visit Phuket on Monday morning before heading to Chiang Rai in the north, the scene of another incident involving a group of boys trapped inside a cave which has put Thailand in the international spotlight.

 

Aircraft and rescue ships extended the search area from Phuket to the island of Phi Phi and Phang Nga province. Teams were also searching the coastline on foot, officials said.

 

Li Ming, who had five family members on board including two seven-year-old nieces, said he and a cousin flew to Phuket from China's eastern Jiangsu province on Saturday after losing contact with their relatives.

 

Li said his two nieces died in the accident and three adult family members were still missing.

 

"There are so many family members back home waiting on our updates," he said. "The hardest thing is waiting. This kind of pain most people just can't understand.

 

Police on Saturday said they charged the ship's captain with negligence leading to damages, injury and death. The captain has denied the charges, police said.

 

The Phoenix overturned in the Andaman Sea off the coast of Ko He, which is a popular one-day trip from Phuket.

Some Thais have questioned why the boat was even at sea during bad weather.

 

In an urgent circular on Saturday, China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism stressed the importance of researching online travel companies when booking overseas trips.

 

Many of the tourists involved in the Phuket accident booked their trips independently via online tourism platforms, the ministry said.

 

Boat sinks off Thai island of Phuket -

 

(Reporting by Amy Sawitta Lefevre and Chayut Setboonsarng in BANGKOK and Philip Wen in PHUKET; Writing by Amy Sawitta Lefevre; Editing by Darren Schuettler and David Evans)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-07-09

[fantom]

Is there a copy of the forecast and related warnings issued prior to departure?

[webfact]

Phuket: 42 found dead, 14 still missing – 13 were children

By Kritsada Mueanhawong

 

 

As we emerge into a wet and soggy Monday morning in Phuket, after three full days of frantic searching in the waters south west of the island, 13 bodies, of 41 which have already been recovered, were children who have drowned in the tragedy – 8 boys and 5 girls.

 

Searching has been expanding to Phang Nga Bay and the waters off Krabi Province. One more body has been found inside the wreckage of ‘Phoenix’ but cannot be recovered at this stage.

 

No more bodies were recovered in the search yesterday (July 8).

 

Full story: https://thethaiger.com/news/phuket/phuket-42-found-dead-14-still-missing-13-were-children

 

-- © Copyright The Thaiger 2018-07-09

[Boatfreak]

26 minutes ago, fantom said:

Is there a copy of the forecast and related warnings issued prior to departure?

The Phuket radar was very clear, anybody could see that a huge storm was coming. The Phuket media had been informed, but nobody cares.

 

[GaryAdriaenssens]

The PM is going to visit to give encouragement.... that's gonna help a lot!!! ?

[luk AJ]

As long as tourist operators are going to handle tourists like cattle, such accidents will continue to happen. In the first place lack of respect for visitors.


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[Zack61]

It’$ more about $aving touri$m and $aving face than anything el$e. 

[poohy]

Quite simple

I am sure there are good captains of  boats in Thailand, but i doubt any are captains on pleasure boats, these guys are just glorified bus drivers (with probably little or no education or training) and we all know how safe they are

[Fex Bluse]

Someone posted a video (Chinese tourist maybe). Very sad. Seems the life vests did not even function. http://bfy.tw/Iwv4

Edited July 9, 2018 by Fex Bluse

[fantom]

49 minutes ago, Boatfreak said:

The Phuket radar was very clear, anybody could see that a huge storm was coming. The Phuket media had been informed, but nobody cares.

 

Thanks, I am aware of that, but I was wondering just what, if any, official maritime forecast was available. The reports in the OP describe the weather events as a 'freak storm' which is arrant nonsense and suggestive of some unpredictable event. As a former pilot one would take note of the general forcast on various media but it was mandatory to obtain and use the official current aviation forecast, taking careful note of any Sigmets prior to launching skyward.

 

Did this heroic captain really launch his boat full of paasengers and a load of dodgy flotation devices with his only weather information obtained from his local paper - if that?

 

[impulse]

37 minutes ago, poohy said:

Quite simple

I am sure there are good captains of  boats in Thailand, but i doubt any are captains on pleasure boats, these guys are just glorified bus drivers (with probably little or no education or training) and we all know how safe they are

 

We have some very competent Thai skippers and crews driving boats for our offshore operations.  They are extremely safe, and keep the vessels in top condition.  But the day rates for the boats are many multiples of the revenue from a snorkeling boat at a few hundred baht a head.

 

Sure, it's all about the money and greed.  But when you pay so little for an offshore adventure, it shouldn't be any surprise that corners are cut and the better captains have found work on commercial vessels at a much higher pay grade.  As I recall, the captain claims he was ordered to take the journey in spite of his protests.  I can't say whether that's true, or a porky.  But it sounds pretty credible.  And the choice between going on a dodgy voyage, or looking for another job is hardly fair to the captain.  So I blame the corrupt system more than him personally.

.

Edited July 9, 2018 by impulse

[ToddinChonburi]

Chinese owned boat and tour company.  Zero dollar operation.

[poohy]

7 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

We have some very competent Thai skippers and crews driving boats for our offshore operations.  They are extremely safe, and keep the vessels in top condition.  But the day rates for the boats are many multiples of the revenue from a snorkeling boat at a few hundred baht a head.

 

Sure, it's all about the money and greed.  But when you pay so little for an offshore adventure, it shouldn't be any surprise that corners are cut and the better captains have found work on commercial vessels at a much higher pay grade.  As I recall, the captain claims he was ordered to take the journey in spit of his protests.  I can't say whether that's true, or a porky.  But it sounds pretty credible.  And the choice between going on a dodgy voyage, or looking for another job is hardly fair to the captain.  So I blame the corrupt system more than him personally.

.

You have confirmed 100% what i said

Of course the better ones  will go for better paid commissions leaving the more inexperienced at the mercy of the corrupt businesses

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

35 minutes ago, Fex Bluse said:

Someone posted a video (Chinese tourist maybe). Very sad. Seems the life vests did not even function. http://bfy.tw/Iwv4

 

That link doesn't seem to be working. Can you post a link direct to whatever content you're talking about?

[lvr181]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

 

In an urgent circular on Saturday, China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism stressed the importance of researching online travel companies when booking overseas trips.

Fair comment, unfortunately despite any safety rules and regulations that "maybe' in place, are rendered useless unless officials (possibly without having to receive a "brown bag") are going to enforce rules and regulations! Enforcement has been known to be "intermittent" in  the Kingdom, unfortunately. Website research doesn't provide that information.

[Boatfreak]

29 minutes ago, fantom said:

Thanks, I am aware of that, but I was wondering just what, if any, official maritime forecast was available. The reports in the OP describe the weather events as a 'freak storm' which is arrant nonsense and suggestive of some unpredictable event. As a former pilot one would take note of the general forcast on various media but it was mandatory to obtain and use the official current aviation forecast, taking careful note of any Sigmets prior to launching skyward.

 

Did this heroic captain really launch his boat full of paasengers and a load of dodgy flotation devices with his only weather information obtained from his local paper - if that?

 

This is the government site: http://weather.tmd.go.th/pkt120.php

[Italian guy]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

it would change this crisis into building more confidence in Thai tourism

[lvr181]

34 minutes ago, fantom said:

Thanks, I am aware of that, but I was wondering just what, if any, official maritime forecast was available. The reports in the OP describe the weather events as a 'freak storm' which is arrant nonsense and suggestive of some unpredictable event. As a former pilot one would take note of the general forcast on various media but it was mandatory to obtain and use the official current aviation forecast, taking careful note of any Sigmets prior to launching skyward.

 

Did this heroic captain really launch his boat full of paasengers and a load of dodgy flotation devices with his only weather information obtained from his local paper - if that?

 

To answer your query - "probably". Money is king in the kingdom. 

[wvavin]

Thai verdict: 1) It's the boat.

                       2) It's the weather.

 

 

[aloha23]

40+ people died which is a bloody shame. people on holiday. often coming here for their very first time since many chinese cannot afford a holiday each year.  i've been on a boat several time here and never went inside the vessel. the few times i was forced to do so in myanmar i felt very uncomfy. even for long trips between myeik and kawthoung i stayed on the roof...

[Wanpi]

Burst storms are not uncommon however even the most incompetent skipper should know to point the bow into the wind and sea (the sea will be like a washing machine rather than big swells and 5 metre waves are unlikely).  It is hard to imagine how a vessel of this size was unable to safely navigate the sea and wind conditions 

[metisdead]

A post with a link to a site that contained pornographic content has been removed. 

[marko kok prong]

Unfortunately i think it is unlikely they will find any more survivors now.

[Fex Bluse]

1 hour ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

That link doesn't seem to be working. Can you post a link direct to whatever content you're talking about?

Looks like the site it's hosted in unfortunately hosts pornograhy and other bad stuff. 

 

It would be the first link when searching Google for the following:

"theync" "dead people found under water"

 

Discretion is advised. 

[thesetat2013]

 If this case were solved quickly on the basis of trust [between the two nations] and brings clarity to the society, it would change this crisis into building more confidence in Thai tourism,” he said

 

 

 

are they really serious to think there is a way to turn this into a way to build tourism confidence? 

Especially after charging the boat captains for neglect and recklessness.  

surely they only went out to dive and stayed too late which caused this accident because of the money. Surely the storm didn't appear from nowhere out of the blue. They had to know it was coming well within the time needed for the boats to return safely. 

[Redline]

Most Chinese families have only 1 child.  RIP