British Tourist Missing After Dive Boat Fire Near Koh Tao

[webfact]

Picture courtesy of AMARIN TV

 

A British holidaymaker, 27-year-old Alexandra May Clarke, has gone missing after a dive boat she was on burst into flames near Koh Tao, a popular diving destination in Thailand. The incident occurred today as the vessel headed towards a prime diving site about five nautical miles from the island.

 

The dive boat, named Davy Jones Locker, was carrying a total of 22 people. This included 16 tourists, two diving instructors, two assistant instructors, and two crew members. As the fire broke out, passengers were forced to leap into the sea for safety, while a nearby vessel swiftly responded to aid those on board.

 

Rescue teams from the Surat Thani Marine Department were quickly dispatched to the scene. They managed to extinguish the blaze and assess the aftermath, finding that critical areas, including the engine room, the captain’s quarters, and a bathroom at the rear of the boat, had suffered significant damage.

 

While most of the passengers and crew were rescued, the search continues for Ms. Clarke, who has not yet been accounted for. The Koh Phangan Regional Harbour Office has launched an investigation to determine the cause of the fire, examining various potential factors that might have led to the vessel's distress.

 

The incident has cast a shadow over the popular tourist spot, raising concerns about safety regulations and practices pertaining to boating in the region.

 

Local officials are poised to review safety regulations for dive boats, aiming to prevent similar incidents in the future. Meanwhile, the dive and tourist communities are rallying to support the search and rescue mission and provide comfort to those affected, reported Thai Newsroom.

 

 

-- 2025-03-16

 

 

[ozz1]

Koh tao strikes again hope she's ok but it doesn't look good

[Woke to Sounds]

Cursed from the get go with that boat's name.

 

Probably the fire was started by rough seas.

 

Assuming divers are good swimmers how does one just go missing?

 

Hope she turns up.

 

 

[Jim Blue]

Time to change the name of that Island !

[Tropicalevo]

2 hours ago, Woke to Sounds said:

Cursed from the get go with that boat's name.

 

Probably the fire was started by rough seas.

 

Assuming divers are good swimmers how does one just go missing?

 

Hope she turns up.

 

They are supposed to be able to swim OK but some beginners cannot.

When the instructors finds out, here on Samui, they send them to a friend of mine who teaches swimming.

[BritManToo]

2 hours ago, Woke to Sounds said:

Cursed from the get go with that boat's name.

 

Probably the fire was started by rough seas.

 

Assuming divers are good swimmers how does one just go missing?

 

Hope she turns up.

 

 

There is no requirement for being able to swim. Divers wear wetsuits and buoyancy jackets. Which fulfil all boat safety requirements.

Obviously this doesn't prevent stupidity, and some people take them off.

[keysersoze276]

Again. Brits just can’t get enough. Stay home. If you insist on coming to Thailand, research.  Do your homework. It breaks my heart, but stop falling in quicksand!  Just stop!  WTF is wrong with Brits that they can’t see a pattern?

[Classic Ray]

When I learnt to dive on Koh Samui twenty years ago in a British staffed school we started with three days pool and classroom training, including swimming tests. 
 

If standards are not maintained, people die. Safety of students and their vessels are vital. But too often money is seen as the most important factor, not reputation.

[Gsxrnz]

A report in a British newspaper claims the missing girl was using the toilet below deck when the fire broke out.  

[cowellandrew]

3 hours ago, Woke to Sounds said:

Cursed from the get go with that boat's name.

 

Probably the fire was started by rough seas.

 

Assuming divers are good swimmers how does one just go missing?

 

Hope she turns up.

 

 

Check the video above vessel on fire sea like a mill pond!

Gale force 13😁😂

[Toby1947]

3 hours ago, Jim Blue said:

Time to change the name of that Island !

Time to change the name of the boat. 

[hotchilli]

13 hours ago, webfact said:

The dive boat, named Davy Jones Locker,

Ohhh dear, what could possibly go wrong with that?

[hotchilli]

13 hours ago, webfact said:

The Koh Phangan Regional Harbour Office has launched an investigation to determine the cause of the fire, examining various potential factors that might have led to the vessel's distress.

Zero maintenance ?

[KireB]

I went on a 4 island tour in Krabi many moons ago, and the staff was busy saving Chinese snorkelers who jumped in the ocean. Some of them couldn't swim.

[zyphodb]

How can you lose someone on a boat as small as that, with the sea like a millpond?

[Woke to Sounds]

1 hour ago, keysersoze276 said:

WTF is wrong with Brits that they can’t see a pattern?

 

Are you implying there is a death cult or a curse on Koh Tao that prefers Britishers?

[rwill]

Hopefully the boat that swiftly responded did not run over someone.

 

Maybe she was able to swim back to shore.  Hope so anyway.