Fire On Ferry At Phi Phi But Everone Safe

[NBT TV Phuket]

Thai reports just coming in today of a fire on board a passenger ferry at Phi Phi island near Maya Bay- we are trying to get more details now, & video for news tomorrow morning.

We know so far: It was ‘Jet Cruise 3’ from Phuket – Phi Phi or maybe on return. 74 passengers and 5 crew were on board – but everybody safe now, no danger, ferry has now gone to Phi Phi Don island.

Anybody else have other info, photos or video on this fire?

if so, please email direct [email protected]

Edited April 24, 2007 by TV Channel 11

[NBT TV Phuket]

MiniVDO - A passenger ferry ship caught fire near Phi Phi’s Maya Bay in Krabi.

To see or download mini-video, go to http://www.thaisnews.com/news_detail.php?newsid=213185

74 tourist passengers yesterday were safely rescued from a passenger ferry by Krabi Marine Police after a fire broke out in its engine room and spread out. The ferry, reported to be ‘Jet Cruise 3’ departed Rassada port in Phuket heading for the island of Phi Phi in Krabi. The fire broke out at around 10.30 am when the ship was at Maya Bay and the Marine Police were notified for assistance. Speed boats were sent to rescue all 74 passengers and 5 crew members who were safely evacuated and taken to Phi Phi Don. Krabi Governor Siwa Sirisaowaluck, who led related officials to the scene, told Andaman News that the authority had tried its best to accommodate tourists and passengers by providing food, clothing and accommodation. There were no injuries from this incident. He said the fire was presumed to have started from a fuel pipe leak and sparked by hot turbo engine. After it was evacuated, the boat sank in the sea.

from Andaman News TV11 (VHF dial) + Radio Thailand FM90.5 Phuket City, both broadcast to Phang Nga, Krabi & Phuket provinces, 8.30am & later on Phuket Cable TV Channel 1, Wednesday 25 April 2007 & www.Thaisnews.com {Our news text and mini-videos can be freely copied, but give credit to Andaman News TV11 Phuket or contact [email protected]}

[george]

Engine fire sinks Phi Phi ferry

PHI PHI ISLANDS: -- More than 100 tourists were safely rescued by the Krabi Marine Police today after a fire broke out on the ferry they were taking from Phuket to Koh Phi Phi Don.

Phuket Marine Police Officer Lt Col Prathueng Srilamontree identified the vessel as Jet Wave 3, which departed from Rassada Harbor in Phuket this morning bound for Koh Phi Phi Don.

As the vessel was rounding the Maya Bay area of Koh Phi Phi Lei about 11 am, a fire broke out in the engine room.

Frightened passengers rushed to the bow of the 32-meter vessel, where they waited until a number of speedboats dispatched by the Krabi Marine Police came to their rescue.

All of the tourists were safely transported to Phi Phi Don Island, about 15 minutes away. There were no reports of injury or anyone abandoning ship.

The 85-tonne vessel, one of four owned and operated by the Andaman Wave Master Company, continued to burn and later sunk.

The apparent cause of the blaze was a fuel line leak, Col Prathueng said.

Passengers were to be returned to Phuket later today free of charge if they desired.

Marine Police will likely try to raise and remove the sunken vessel, he added.

--Phuket Gazette

[khall64au]

A different version of the event:

SA hero in ferry rescue

KATE KYRIACOU

April 29, 2007 12:15pm

A HOLIDAYING Adelaide firefighter has been hailed as a hero after he helped almost 80 people leap to safety from a blazing ferry as it sank off the Thailand coast this week.

In the dramatic incident, 22 Australians were among those forced to jump into the water when the engine of the Jet Wave 3 ferry exploded in flames as it approached Phuket's Phi Phi Islands on Tuesday morning.

Passengers told how people ran screaming as flames engulfed the boat within minutes, burning life jackets and melting chairs.

From their Phi Phi Island resort, Whyalla nurse Belinda Brereton told the Sunday Mail how the cool-headed fireman, Nathan Berry, paired strong swimmers with those less capable as the burning vessel started to sink on its approach to Phi Phi Don.

"When the fire broke out a lot of the tourists panicked; they couldn't speak much English and they didn't know how to swim," she said. "Nathan stood up and said, `Everybody will be OK but don't grab anything – just get a life jacket and jump'.

"Up until then people were just standing there in shock while the seats melted and paint bubbled off the walls."

But Mr Berry, 28, a firefighter of four years based at Wakefield St, city, said he was only doing what any other emergency services worker would have done.

"I did a quick size-up, realised what kind of fuels were around, and figured the boat was going to go up really quickly," he said.

"I had a quick look for fire extinguishers but there weren't any."

Mr Berry said he did not think there would be enough life jackets for all the passengers, so he gathered those who could not swim and handed out various flotation devices.

"I think most people didn't realise the fire would be so bad initially," he said.

"There was lots of screaming and yelling and people trying to find their partners. They didn't want to jump at first but when the fire started to grow they realised they had to get off."

Mr Berry said flames engulfed the boat within three to four minutes, forcing him and his wife Naomi, 24, to jump from the top level into the water.

But the Hawthorn man said claims he was a hero were "overkill".

"I'm really no more of a hero than any other firefighter in that sort of situation," he said.

"I'm just lucky I work in a job that that's what we do."

Mrs Brereton, 48, said she first noticed something was wrong when thick black smoke began pouring from the engine bay.

"The next minute all these flames started coming out the side of the boat," she said. There were no fire extinguishers in sight and passengers on the top deck could not find any life jackets. A fire hose could not be used because it had been tied up with rope.

"The captain hadn't turned the engine off so the boat was still moving when people started jumping off.

"Once you jumped you just had to get away from the boat.

"It was still chugging along at that stage and you could feel the intense heat from the flames as it went past and the hot smoke got right into your throat.

"My husband jumped before me and I lost sight of him pretty quickly. It was a miracle people didn't die."

The couple, along with other passengers, ended up at the uninhabited Phi Phi Lei – the island where Leonardo DiCaprio's The Beach was filmed. They waited there for several hours in wet clothing before being rescued.

Michael and Christine Richards, both 58, became separated after jumping over the side. "My husband jumped first and he panicked because I didn't jump in straight after him," Mrs Richards said.

"I just froze. I've never been so scared in my life. I just started crying and I kept saying, `I don't want to die'."

As the flames closed in, Mrs Richards jumped over the side. But her husband was nowhere to be found. Mrs Richards eventually spotted her husband on another boat.

"Thank God for this fireman from Adelaide; he was amazing. I have no doubt he saved lives," she said.

Metropolitan Fire Service chief executive Grant Lupton said he was extremely proud of Mr Berry.

"It would appear that Nathan was responsible for saving many, many lives by taking control of these passengers," he said.

A spokesman for the Foreign Affairs and Trade Department said 22 Australians were on the ferry.

http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0...54-2682,00.html