Damaged Phuket Tourist Ferry To Be Recovered

[webfact]

Damaged Phuket tourist ferry to be recovered
Phuket Gazette


Tourists disembark at Rassada Pier last night after being rescued from the stricken ferry late yesterday afternoon. Photo: Kritsada Mueanhawong

PHUKET: -- Efforts are underway to recover the ferry Puean Foong II, which started taking on water in heavy seas yesterday afternoon with more than 100 tourists on board.

The boat was returning from Phi Phi Island to Phuket when strong waves punctured the hull, explained Samphan Aiyara, managing director of Friendship Sea Tour Co Ltd, which owns the stricken ferry.

“Big waves hit the boat. The hull cracked and the back of the boat started filling with water,” Mr Samphan said.

However, Mr Samphan stressed that the boat did not sink, as reported by some news agencies.

“The whole boat did not sink, like some news reports said. Only the back of the boat became partially submerged,” he added.

As the vessel struggled in the large waves, another tour boat, the Pichamon, stopped and rendered assistance, taking the Puean Foong II passengers safely on board.

Pichamon captain Decha Choleam told the Phuket Gazette that when his boat pulled alongside, all passengers on the Puean Foong II were wearing life jackets.

“It took about 30 minutes to rescue all of them,” he said.

“We dropped off our 66 passengers at Phi Phi Island first, then brought all the rescued tourists back to Rassada Pier,” said Capt Decha.

Mr Samphan of Friendship Sea Tour explained that local fishing boats had been called to assist in the recovery of the ferry, which was beached on Koh Keow (Green Island) as a precaution.

“We will fill 30 200-liter oil barrels with air and tie them to the ferry to help keep it afloat while we tow it back to Phuket,” said Mr Samphan.

“We have no idea how long the repairs will take, but we will have them done as quickly as possible. All the tourists understood what happened was an accident, and we have not received any complaints,” he said.

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket_news/2013/Damaged-Phuket-tourist-ferry-to-be-recovered-21187.html

-- Phuket Gazette 2013-05-29

[IrishIvan]

Koh Keow is a long way from Koh Gai. Even if they were going from Chalong Pier that is quite a diversion.

Edited May 29, 2013 by IrishIvan

[COXYATCITY]

strong waves punctured the hull,other ferries were out, luckily there were no deaths. Sounds like this boat was not sea worthy ,safety first,(sorry money first). TIT

[animatic]

strong waves punctured the hull,other ferries were out, luckily there were no deaths. Sounds like this boat was not sea worthy ,safety first,(sorry money first). TIT

First thought also.

A full gale should still never puncture a hull like this.

Huricane sure, possible on many boats, but there were no gale warnings.

[stevenl]

There were not even high waves, maybe about 1 meter.

[eddie61]

There were not even high waves, maybe about 1 meter.

A bit of duck tape and it will be as good as new....

[Always18]

"We will fill 30 200liter oil barrels with air....................." - maybe easier just to use empty ones.................

[COXYATCITY]

There were not even high waves, maybe about 1 meter.

A bit of duck tape and it will be as good as new....

your probably only 99% right on this 1 lol

[weegee]

"We will fill 30 200liter oil barrels with air....................." - maybe easier just to use empty ones.................

and leave them there for next time.....

[JetsetBkk]

There were not even high waves, maybe about 1 meter.

A bit of duck tape and it will be as good as new....

Or even duct tape.

[eezergood]

Bet they change its name

[johnlandy]

strong waves punctured the hull,other ferries were out, luckily there were no deaths. Sounds like this boat was not sea worthy ,safety first,(sorry money first). TIT

First thought also.

A full gale should still never puncture a hull like this.

Huricane sure, possible on many boats, but there were no gale warnings.

It's all to do with saving face and preserving the almighty tourist dollar.

The boat would have probably sunk from a bow wave on the Chao Praya.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Pretty hard to believe waves cracking the hull of a ferry boat... unless it was a pretty damaged or flimsy hull to begin with.

Another good reason, unfortunately, to avoid ocean transport between Phuket and nearby islands... Speedboats regularly seem to crash and collide or have other maladies, and now the ferries aren't doing so hot either.

[belg]

nice so they going to fix it up thai style, till one day it will really sink, the captain will flee the scene off course and maybe a few death tourists might shine another light on this all sinking boat business

[Neilly]

There were not even high waves, maybe about 1 meter.

A bit of duck tape and it will be as good as new....

Or even duct tape.

[HarryMilton]

nice so they going to fix it up thai style, till one day it will really sink, the captain will flee the scene off course and maybe a few death tourists might shine another light on this all sinking boat business

Where did you get that from? Perhaps it will be repaired properly, as are so many things in this country.

[rotary]

After using the 200 lt drums to get her back to port who knows, the owner might consider her seaworthy with the drums.