Seven rescued from Gulf of Thailand after speed boat sinks

[webfact]

 

Six passengers and the skipper of a speed boat have been rescued as they were floating in the sea, about four kilometres from the shore of Laem Ngob district of the eastern province of Trat, after their boat sank.

 

The sunken vessel’s skipper said that he was heading back to the mainland with his six passengers after disembarking another group of passengers on Koh Chang.

 

He also said that the sea at the time was rough and the front side of his boat cracked under the force of the waves, allowing water to enter the hull until the vessel sank, leaving all 7 people floating on the surface.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/seven-rescued-from-gulf-of-thailand-after-speed-boat-sinks/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2022-01-18

 

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[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

He also said that the sea at the time was rough and the front side of his boat cracked under the force of the waves, allowing water to enter the hull until the vessel sank, leaving all 7 people floating on the surface.

A commercial passenger vessel that passed all safety checks then?

[Isaan sailor]

No thanks.  We always use the Koh Chang ferry—heavy and slow, with a double spin on the return.

[n8sail]

The most terrifying part about riding in speedboats in Thailand.

They use wood stringers and frames in these boats...  then cover with fiberglass.  The fiberglass is nearly never watertight, water ingresses, rots the frames, and the hull skin, which is too thin to withstand the heavy forces experienced when smashing through 1 meter waves at 30knots, fails.

 

Next time you go by a speedboat junkyard have a look inside (watch for dogs).  It is scary what holds these death traps together!  And just because the boat looks new on the outside, does not mean the thing is not rotting to pieces on the hidden insides.

 

I avoid them at all costs.

[Trvlr55]

very probable he attempted to ram though the waves of the "high seas noted in article", instead of taking a more cautious route.