Tourist killed as diver boat sinks off Thai island

[vanalli]

It was bound to happen sooner or later (somebody dying, I mean). There have been too many similar accidents recently.

Edited September 5, 2007 by vanalli

[Charma]

I am always amazed by some peoples attitudes to "accidents". Barring some spectacularly unforseen circumstances, there is really no such thing. Boats should be designed and operated to stay afloat. When they don't, it is almost always down to poor design or poor operation. Putting aside any speculation regarding the numbers this vessel was licensed to carry, it should not capsize just because the weather turns a little. The safety margin for vessels should be well within any conditions they may expect to encounter.

Unfortunately tourists do not have the knowledge and skills to assess a vessel or crew's safety before jumping on board. For that they trust in the government to ensure it. TIT is no consolation for the family of the guy who died.

[meemiathai]

I am always amazed by some peoples attitudes to "accidents". Barring some spectacularly unforseen circumstances, there is really no such thing. Boats should be designed and operated to stay afloat. When they don't, it is almost always down to poor design or poor operation. Putting aside any speculation regarding the numbers this vessel was licensed to carry, it should not capsize just because the weather turns a little. The safety margin for vessels should be well within any conditions they may expect to encounter.

Unfortunately tourists do not have the knowledge and skills to assess a vessel or crew's safety before jumping on board. For that they trust in the government to ensure it. TIT is no consolation for the family of the guy who died.

Do you trust the Thaliban?

[Basil B]

How do you spell National Transportation Safety Board in Thai? That's what's needed to get to the bottom of all this.

The NTSB has only one function and that is to enshure the the USA, Boeing and any other US interst will never ever get the blame for their b@!!s ups.

BB

[pyrolover2000]

Here is a link to a Swiss/Thai blog in the French language with information similar to what was in the Nation along with a photo of a sunken boat with its bow barely out of the water. They may have gotten the copy from the Nation. I don't see an attribution for the story. The photo, if it is genuine, I have not seen before.

http://eurasiat.blogspot.com/2007/09/touristes-loh.html

From looking at the photo of the boat, it doesn't look to be a vessel any bigger that 8 to 10 meters. It is much too small to carry anywhere near the amount of people it is said to have carried. Therefore, I don't believe that this is a photo of the vessel in question. If it is, only a ###### fool would even think you could put all of those people on that little boat. Also, only a ###### fool would have boarded and stayed on that vessel after seeing how many people were on it. Heres the rule of thumb for vessels of this size. An 8 meter vessel should carry no more that 6 divers and their gear. A 10 meter vessel, no more than 9 divers and their gear. If this is indeed a photo of the vessel in question, the owner of the company and the operator are not the only ones to blame here. Everyone that was aboard is also at fault. They had to have known that the vessel was extreamly overloaded. These people had to have been stacked on top of one another. With that many people on that small vessel, it wouldn't have taken a wave to overturn it. Just having enough of them moving to one side would have done that with ease.

[highdiver]

I am always amazed by some peoples attitudes to "accidents". Barring some spectacularly unforseen circumstances, there is really no such thing. Boats should be designed and operated to stay afloat. When they don't, it is almost always down to poor design or poor operation. Putting aside any speculation regarding the numbers this vessel was licensed to carry, it should not capsize just because the weather turns a little. The safety margin for vessels should be well within any conditions they may expect to encounter.

Unfortunately tourists do not have the knowledge and skills to assess a vessel or crew's safety before jumping on board. For that they trust in the government to ensure it. TIT is no consolation for the family of the guy who died.

I beg to differ on your remarks.

boats are designed to and operated to stay afloat so are cars and planes. however accidents do happen and not allways from a human mistake as in some cases you can not forecast every incident.

cars planes as well as boats are designed to operate in all conditions however unforseen events can lead to accicdent having no affiliation to the design or the operations.

you can be driving carefully in your wonderfull designed car well with in the speed limits and hit an unexpected oil spill or water that will send you slipping into an accident.

anyone who deals with boating professionaly or recreationaly knows that boats can get into a lot of problems even if you follow all the limits and regulations. the sea is unpredictable and in the Phuket gulf the conditions can turn from calm perfect to stormy swells with in an hour.

The marine police and the harbour department post a warning to all boat owners when bad weather is expected and try to prevent accidents.

this is truely a very sad incident specially with the guys death on his honeymoon.

I am allways amazed how every one is real smart after things happen...

[pyrolover2000]

I am always amazed by some peoples attitudes to "accidents". Barring some spectacularly unforseen circumstances, there is really no such thing. Boats should be designed and operated to stay afloat. When they don't, it is almost always down to poor design or poor operation. Putting aside any speculation regarding the numbers this vessel was licensed to carry, it should not capsize just because the weather turns a little. The safety margin for vessels should be well within any conditions they may expect to encounter.

Unfortunately tourists do not have the knowledge and skills to assess a vessel or crew's safety before jumping on board. For that they trust in the government to ensure it. TIT is no consolation for the family of the guy who died.

I beg to differ on your remarks.

boats are designed to and operated to stay afloat so are cars and planes. however accidents do happen and not allways from a human mistake as in some cases you can not forecast every incident.

cars planes as well as boats are designed to operate in all conditions however unforseen events can lead to accicdent having no affiliation to the design or the operations.

you can be driving carefully in your wonderfull designed car well with in the speed limits and hit an unexpected oil spill or water that will send you slipping into an accident.

anyone who deals with boating professionaly or recreationaly knows that boats can get into a lot of problems even if you follow all the limits and regulations. the sea is unpredictable and in the Phuket gulf the conditions can turn from calm perfect to stormy swells with in an hour.

The marine police and the harbour department post a warning to all boat owners when bad weather is expected and try to prevent accidents.

this is truely a very sad incident specially with the guys death on his honeymoon.

I am allways amazed how every one is real smart after things happen...

After reading almost every post here, I can tell that most of you know absolutely very little about boats or boating. I have worked in the maritime industry for twenty plus years now. I also have a US Coast Guard Unlimited License. So I know a thing or two about vessels. It is statements like the following that lead me to wonder why some would even comment on this subject. You should first know a little bit about boat before you make comments like these.

Boats should be designed and operated to stay afloat. When they don't, it is almost always down to poor design or poor operation. Putting aside any speculation regarding the numbers this vessel was licensed to carry, it should not capsize just because the weather turns a little. The safety margin for vessels should be well within any conditions they may expect to encounter.

Vessels are designed to carry a limited amount of weight. They can only operate safely by staying within those designed weight limits. When a vessel is overloaded, it compromises the trim and stability of the vessel. Once the trim and stability is compromised, all it takes is a slight shift in that weight to overturn the vessel. In this case, it sounds as if a small wave is what caused that shift in weight. When you mention safety margins, you should know that they are limited. These limiting factors include item such as, the size of the vessel, trim & stability weight limits, and sea state. To make a long story short, this small vessel was pushed well beyond it's trim & stability weight limits. Had the vessel not been overloaded in the encountered sea state, this incident would have never happened.

[ChiangMaiAmerican]

Not a single word has yet been said to compliment the captain, crew and authorities for saving 59 out of 60 people in an accident that, had someone not been on their toes (captain and crew) ought to have resulted in a much greater tragedy.

There are 54 out of 55 passengers who I presume were all adults who made an intelligent choice to make the trip that lived to tell about it. That couldn't have happened in high seas in a capsized vessel if there had been anything less than commendable efforts by skipper, crew and rescue team.

Isn't it time we gave some credit where it's due?

From Today's Nation,

"Muang Krabi Deputy Superintendent, Pol Lt Col Somdej Sukkarn said the boat owner - identified only as "Loh" - was entirely at fault as he had allowed the boat to carry 59 passengers when it was only allowed to carry 15. There were 27 male and 28 female tourists and four crew members, including the pilot, on the boat when the accident occurred."

and

"Krabi Marine Transport Office Chief Suriya Kitti-monthon said the boat owner could not claim insurance as he had broken the law by taking too many passengers and therefore must take all responsibility."

http://nationmultimedia.com/2007/09/05/hea...es_30047781.php

According to the Nation, the boat was only approved for 15 passengers not 60 as claimed by AFP. If that is indeed the case the operator should be tried and imprisoned for negligent homicide not complemented and given a pat on the back.

The above referenced account was, by the time the facts had been learned, entirely discredited. The nsme of the bost owner was stated incorrectly as was the description of the vessel's authorised passenger limit.

This is typical in these stories, the first 'out of the chute' is usually wrong and the posters ignore the more reliable findings that often follow. We are often too quick to judge and jump to unwarranted conclusions.

Entirely discredited? Where did you get your information? Do you work for a PR firm representing the company? From today's Bangkok Post (certainly not "the first 'out of the chute'"

"PHI PHI TRAGEDY

Capsized boat had too many people aboard

The capsized boat King Fisher, which sank off Phi Phi island on Tuesday, was carrying 50 more people than allowed, chief of Krabi Marine Transport Office Suriya Kittimonthon said yesterday. Mr Suriya said 65 tourists were on board the boat, which was licensed to carry only 15 people."

Full story here:

http://bangkokpost.com/News/06Sep2007_news06.php

Edited September 6, 2007 by ChiangMaiAmerican

[Payboy]

How do you spell National Transportation Safety Board in Thai? That's what's needed to get to the bottom of all this.

j-a-t-u-k-a-r-m r-a-m-a-t-h-e-p

[chinthee]

How do you spell National Transportation Safety Board in Thai? That's what's needed to get to the bottom of all this.

j-a-t-u-k-a-r-m r-a-m-a-t-h-e-p

[vanalli]

The boat was said to have such a low capacity allegedly for insurance reasons. The real capacity was said to be about 60 passengers. The boat was big enough to handle more than 15 people.

[NamKAheng]

For those of you who are longtime traveller or expat in the Phuket, Krabi and Phi Phi region don't say to me that you never saw a over crowded ferry, boat or longtailboat in that region.

I saw a lot of them and I am not a resident of Thailand.

It always amaze me to see that when people are in a group the bigger the group the foolish they become, it's the they go in the over crowded boat so it must be safe, it's called the lamb mentality.

[donna]

http://www.phuketgazette.com/news/index.asp?ref=200795173952

Capsized tour boat ‘not overcrowded’ – Marine Police

PHUKET: The ill-fated tour boat that capsized and sank in stormy seas off the Phi Phi Islands yesterday was not overloaded at the time of the disaster, Krabi Marine Office Chief Suriya Kittimonthon told the Gazette today.

The 17.4-meter vessel was not overcrowded and a vessel of that size would normally be rated for about 60 passengers, he said.

However, documents held by the boat’s current owner, Suriyan Sroyson, list it with an operational passenger capacity of only 11 passengers, possibly for tax or business purposes, K. Suriya said.

Although K. Suriyan bought and paid for the boat from Jarunee Chotithammathorn earlier this year, there was no record of the transaction with the Marine Office, K. Suriya added.

K. Suriyan was escorted to Krabi Police Station yesterday, though it has yet to be confirmed whether he has been arrested or charged with a crime.

During the capsizing, Israeli tourist Nissim Lugasi, 26, drowned when he became trapped under the boat, and fellow Israeli tourist Adam Berdichevsky had his left foot mangled by the boat’s propeller.

Mr Berdichevsky is recovering at Bangkok Hospital Phuket, but doctors there say it is too early to be sure whether the foot can be saved or will require amputation.

PLEASE CLICK ON THE LINK FOR THE COMPLETE STORY

[Mid]

The 17.4-meter vessel was not overcrowded and a vessel of that size would normally be rated for about 60 passengers, he said.

However, documents held by the boat’s current owner, Suriyan Sroyson, list it with an operational passenger capacity of only 11 passengers, possibly for tax or business purposes, K. Suriya said.

oh what a wicked web we weave ,

when first we start to deceive

meanwhile overcrowded and overloaded are not synonymous .....................

[donna]

does anyone actually have a photo of the boat (or similar) which sank?

[sriracha john]

reckless manslaughter....

Boat captain charged over death of Israeli tourist

A boat captain was charged on Wednesday with reckless manslaughter after an Israeli tourist died when his vessel capsized near Phi Phi Island in Krabi province, police said.

Suriyan Soison, 34, could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted, according to police LtColonel Jakra Saowakhon.

The boat carrying 59 people, including five crew, capsized off Phi Phi on Tuesday as Suriyan tried to escape an approaching storm, Jakra said.

Meanwhile, doctors at Phuket Hospital have saved both legs of Israeli tourist, Adam Benejakee, from being amputated after completing a six our operation that began at 9am yesterday morning.

His legs had been almost severed by the vessel's propeller after it capsized.

However, Benejakee will need intensive medical care for another four to five days before the hospital could announce the operation a success, deputy hospital director Dr Somphote Nippakanont said.

"His right leg is now in a better condition than the left leg, which had a smashed shin bone and main arteries badly damaged," Somphote said.

He said Benejakee was in "good spirits" after he regained consciousness and could converse with a senior Israel diplomat who paid him a visit at the hospital.

The accident came just two weeks after a ferry carrying 42 Thais capsized in rough weather near Phi Phi.

Everyone was rescued in that accident.

- The Nation

[chinthee]

Ah yes, the sacrificial lamb.

[jts-khorat]

reckless manslaughter....

Charged, not convicted and standard procedure in Thai law: the driver/captain is responsible for the state of his vehicle. However a conviction in this case is doubtful if the guy did not make serious, provable errors and it will all fall under the table sooner or later.

Rather of more note is, nobody talks about improving the regulations of going out to sea in bad weather (even though in this case -- according to Donna -- weather did not look that bad when starting the trip) or the better publication of safety regulations so that tourists know exactly what to do when the situation gets serious. How are those communicated to a group that might not speak English all that well, in a worst-case scenario maybe not at all -- the old Thai tour guide license problem.

This constant, re-iterative improvement of rules is it, what is so badly needed here in Thailand. So much has already been done and achieved in this direction, but that does not mean that standstill is permissible if accidents still cost lives.

[NBT TV Phuket]

Interview - Dr Somepoch Nipakanont, Assistant Hospital Director of Bangkok Hospital Phuket, about treatment of an injured Israeli passenger on sunken diving boat

To see or download mini-video, go to http://www.thaisnews.com/news_detail.php?newsid=214657

Our interview is with Dr Somepoch Nipakanont, Assistant Hospital Director of Bangkok Hospital Phuket, about their emergency treatment on Tuesday for Adam Berdichevsky, an injured Israeli passenger on a sunken diving boat, near Phi Phi, who was taken to BHP. He underwent an operation on his legs, injured by a boat propeller, is conscious & recovering well, as the doctor told us more:

…….

Interview for Andaman News TV11 (VHF dial) 8.30am + maybe FM90.5 Radio Thailand 6pm, both broadcast to Phang Nga, Krabi & Phuket provinces, FM108 Mazz Radio 7.30pm in Phuket & Phuket Cable TV Channel 1 at 7, 10.30 or 11pm, Thursday 6 September 2007 & www.Thaisnews.com

[pyrolover2000]

The 17.4-meter vessel was not overcrowded and a vessel of that size would normally be rated for about 60 passengers, he said.

However, documents held by the boat's current owner, Suriyan Sroyson, list it with an operational passenger capacity of only 11 passengers, possibly for tax or business purposes, K. Suriya said.

oh what a wicked web we weave ,

when first we start to deceive

meanwhile overcrowded and overloaded are not synonymous .....................

Does anyone know what the beam of the vessel was? In other words, how wide was it? if this is known, I can figure out what the max weight limit was for this vessel.

[pyrolover2000]

http://www.phuketgazette.com/news/index.asp?ref=200795173952

Capsized tour boat 'not overcrowded' – Marine Police

PHUKET: The ill-fated tour boat that capsized and sank in stormy seas off the Phi Phi Islands yesterday was not overloaded at the time of the disaster, Krabi Marine Office Chief Suriya Kittimonthon told the Gazette today.

The 17.4-meter vessel was not overcrowded and a vessel of that size would normally be rated for about 60 passengers, he said.

However, documents held by the boat's current owner, Suriyan Sroyson, list it with an operational passenger capacity of only 11 passengers, possibly for tax or business purposes, K. Suriya said.

Although K. Suriyan bought and paid for the boat from Jarunee Chotithammathorn earlier this year, there was no record of the transaction with the Marine Office, K. Suriya added.

K. Suriyan was escorted to Krabi Police Station yesterday, though it has yet to be confirmed whether he has been arrested or charged with a crime.

During the capsizing, Israeli tourist Nissim Lugasi, 26, drowned when he became trapped under the boat, and fellow Israeli tourist Adam Berdichevsky had his left foot mangled by the boat's propeller.

Mr Berdichevsky is recovering at Bangkok Hospital Phuket, but doctors there say it is too early to be sure whether the foot can be saved or will require amputation.

PLEASE CLICK ON THE LINK FOR THE COMPLETE STORY

Okay, enough is enough! Let get down to brass tacks here. The following is the standard formula used for maximum weight loads on passenger vessels. For boats over 26 feet, a general way to determine how many people you may safely carry is as to multiply the vessels length (in feet) by it's Beam (in feet) divided by:15

As an example, if you have a 30 foot boat having a 10 foot beam, you can safely carry 20 average size adults (approximately 150 lbs each). Keep in mind that this formula is based upon having calm seas! You should always carry less weight and fewer people if you know you are in for rough weather. Also keep in mind the limits defined apply in good to moderate weather conditions. In rough waters, keep the weight well below the limit. In ideal weather conditions, it is recommended that you distribute your load evenly, keep weight low, and avoid abrupt changes in distribution. This is especially important if your boat’s capacity is fully used or if weather conditions deteriorate. It is also important to remember that people represent a "live" load and moving about affects a boat quite differently than static loads. In general, shift human or other weight only after stopping or slowing.

So, lets do the math. It is said that this vessel was 17.4 meters in length or, 57.09 feet in length. By doing the math, we can figure out the Beam of the vessel. 57.09 = length x 16 = 913.44 divided by 15 = 60.896. Okay, we now know that the Beam of the vessel is right around 16 feet and the maximum amount of passengers that can be carried is 60 at 150 lbs each. At last count, there had been 59 people aboard that vessel. This includes crew. Now, keeping in mind what I have highlighted in red above, it should be very clear that this vessel was indeed overloaded. I rest my case.

[Bern01]

The captain of the Dream Catcher is a good friend of mine and has told me the following. The boat was on a snokelling trip in Maya Bay when the captain saw a weather front approaching from the West. There were many other boats in the area big and small and they all immediatley left to head to the shelter of Loh Samah Bay which is on the East side of Phi Phi Leh. It took a long time to get the 55 customers from the beach back to the boat by which time the storm front was on top of them. The boat did not capsize as has been widely reported but sank by the stern after taking on water which flooded the engine room caused by exceptionally large waves swamping the boat. There were enough life jackets on the boat for all the customers but some did not have time to put them on. The Israeli man who died was wearing a life jacket but was too scared to abandon the boat when he was instructed to do so by crew. He was quickly recovered from the water and put on a speedboat where CPR was administered but he could not be revived. As for the man who is reported to have been struck by the propeller, I doubt he received the injury from the screws as the would have been a long way under the water and as the captain was helping with the evacaution the engines would have been cut or at least put into neutral.

[TheExpat]

Body of Thailand victim to be flown home

The body of the Israeli tourist who was killed on Tuesday when a ferry capsized in Thailand will be flown back to Israel on Wednesday evening.

The ferry, packed with tourists, overturned off the coast of Koh Phi Phi, killing 26-year-old Nissim Lugassi of Acre and seriously injuring a second Israeli.

An additional three dozen Israelis were rescued from the water, some by fellow tourists who were diving in the area.

The accident occurred approximately a kilometer from the coast en route from Maya Bay to Koh Phi Phi in stormy seas with waves up to four meters high, the local governor told the Israeli Foreign Ministry. Many of the survivors were left stranded for half an hour before they were rescued.

Eyewitnesses reported seeing smoke emerging from the engine area of the packed boat, which reportedly had a capacity of only 40 passengers. Shortly afterwards, the boat began to list strongly to one side, and when passengers realized it was about to capsize, they jumped to the relative safety of the open water.

Accounts differ as to whether there were insufficient life vests for the number of passengers or whether there were simply no life vests at all on the ferry, which was carrying tourists on a day cruise around seven Thai islands.

According to initial reports, Lugassi drowned after a blow to the head knocked him unconscious as the boat sank. Passengers reported seeing desperate attempts to administer CPR, but to no avail.

Lugassi was on honeymoon with his wife, Odelia, a trip that his family said he had promised her when they began dating three years ago. The couple was married only two weeks ago, leaving for Thailand shortly afterwards. Embassy officials said Lugassi's body would be flown back to Israel for burial as soon as the administrative procedures were concluded.

The Israeli seriously injured in the incident was rushed to a hospital in nearby Phuket, where doctors carried out emergency operations to stabilize him. The injured man's girlfriend was with him in the hospital Tuesday evening, together with the local Chabad representative.

Israeli Ambassador to Thailand Yael Rubenstein said doctors at the hospital had told her they would have a better idea of the injured man's condition on Wednesday.

Rubenstein also told The Jerusalem Post that she had dispatched the consul-general to Phuket to meet with Lugassi's wife, as well as with the girlfriend of the injured man. After that, she said, the consul would continue on to Koh Phi Phi to meet with the other crash survivors.

According to Rubenstein, the embassy planned to offer the Israelis buses back to Bangkok, where the embassy would provide a safe haven to relax and decompress after the trauma, as well as help them to quickly replace key documents - such as passports - that were lost when the ferry sank. The tourists would also be offered the opportunity to be flown home if they felt they could not continue with their travel plans.

When reports of the sinking reached the embassy, the Foreign Ministry and local representatives opened a situation room where concerned relatives in Israel could check their family members' well-being. Rubenstein said that although they had not had a plan in effect for such situations, the embassy had been in close contact with ministry officials in Jerusalem, with Thai officials and with the Citizens Abroad desk at the Foreign Ministry, which specializes in coordinating responses to emergencies befalling Israelis overseas.

"We have been in constant consultation, and we have been working very well together," said Rubenstein, emphasizing that she thought that the response had been coordinated very smoothly.

The ambassador added that she hoped that the incident would not have a negative effect on Israeli tourism in Thailand.

Each year, approximately 140,000 Israelis visit the southeast Asian nation.

- Jerusalem Post

Here is an portion of the above article that scares me.

According to Rubenstein, the embassy planned to offer the Israelis buses back to Bangkok, where the embassy would provide a safe haven to relax and decompress after the trauma, as well as help them to quickly replace key documents - such as passports - that were lost when the ferry sank

I am not sure I would take the bus ride offer. Riding a bus in Thailand is more dangerous than a boat ride .......in my opinion.

[A_Traveller]

^^ However, depressingly I expect the British embassy would spend at least a week ringing its hands and flapping, before doing anything useful.

Regards

[Bern01]

Can I clarify a couple of points here. The boat in question used to be licenced to carry 60 passengers (so obviously she was had been approved by Thai authorities to carry that many). The boat then changed hands and the new owner converted the boat into an 8 berth Liveaboard boat. So with 8 guests and 3 divemasters the total number of customers is 11 as is reflected in the licence. The boat then changed hands again and was refitted as a tour boat. However the licence was not updated to reflect this change.

The man who drowned was on the roof of the boat when it sank, I repeat the boat did not roll over. He had been instructed by crew to abandon ship but had panicked and not responded. He was wearing a life jacket so when the boat went down he was actually trapped under the plastic roof on the boat. The bouyancy of the lifejacket pinning him inside the roof made it impossible for rescuers to pull him free.

I attach a photo of the boat being refitted in the shipyard. The Kingfisher company was the previous owner of the boat and are not in any way involved in this incident.

[Bern01]

Sorry the picture of the boat can been seen here

http://community.webshots.com/album/560604...vhost=community

[sriracha john]

60 people on that boat that is overcrowded...

[sriracha john]

Wounded Israeli flies home

PHUKET CITY: Israeli tourist Adam Berdichevsky, whose left foot was mangled during the boat capsizing that claimed the life of another Israeli tourist on September 4, flew back to Israel tonight after a week of treatment at Bangkok Hospital Phuket.

Assistant Hospital Director Dr Sompoch Nipakanont said the latest in a series of operations to the mangled foot was performed a few days ago, when Bangkok Hospital surgeons removed dead tissue and cleaned wounds.

Mr Berdichevsky, discharged from the hospital around noon, and was scheduled to fly back to Israel accompanied by his father and an Israeli orthopedist flown in to observe his treatment.

It was earlier feared that doctors might have to amputate all or part of the foot.

“With kind coordination from the Israeli Consul, a plane with a stretcher on board has been arranged. Doctors said Adam is fit to fly. He will undergo further operations in Israel, where he will also undergo therapy and rehabilitation to enable him walk again,” wrote Dr Sompoch in an incidence report released to the media today.

Mr Berdichevsky was a passenger aboard the 17-meter dive vessel Dream Catcher, which capsized in stormy seas on the way to Maya Beach from Phi Phi Don on September 4.

Another Israeli tourist, 26-year-old Nissim Lugasi, died when he became trapped in the boat’s bridge and drowned.

- Manager Online

[pmgthailand]

This will just keep happening and just keep getting swept under the carpet for fear of loss of tourist baht, not for the actual safety of passenger. These boats are not safe and not maintained to

Andaman sea is always rough and tumble this time of the year...

RIP

Time to debate ferry safety there again?

- boat was built for 60 and carried 60, so was not overloaded (following the Thai law)

- one of the dead persons was cut by the propeller

- the ship was NOT a ferry (as wasn't the boat last month) but a rented tour-ship

Not really a good idea to go out at this weather, as it IS raining right outside my window. But from the safety aspect #on board# -- as from the articles -- there does not seem to be much violation.

It appears that this boat SANK. This clearly indicates soemthing has gone very badly wrong with either the vessel or the way it was skippered. To just call it an accident and put it down to bad luck is totally the wrong approach. More of these incidents will continue to occur unless lessons are learnt and acted upon.

[metroman]

yikes, hope everyone is safely rescued.

going on a dive trip tomorrow

Do these operators have insurance? I hesitate to call it an accident without knowing the cause.. Poor maintenance, act of God, etc.