All safe after dramatic dive boat sinking near Phuket [video]

[MMarlow]

The place that cannot be mentioned reports - According to park officials the Aladdin was not a registered vessel and should not have been operating. The Director of the Similan islands national park, Nat Kongkasem, said today ''The vessel operates out of Ranong,'' he said. ''It was not registered to operate in the national park and the hull was clearly of poor quality.''

What "place" is that, do you mean the Bangkok Post? I can't find it on their site.

[Halion]

The safety of all was pure providence as so many of the operators of these tourist vessels are little more than merchant of death. Complete oblivion abounds with regard to safety standards and even the most basic maritime regulations. Routine maintenance is almost nonexistent and seen as an impediment to profitability. In my first 5 years of diving around the Thai coastal regions I did use vessels which were far from suitable for purpose and encountered several problems although nothing as tragic and dramatic as a rapid sinking. The past 15 years I have used only two dive companies for offshore diving as they are significantly better and more expensive than the average, but still far from perfect.

The thread that runs through the majority of these issues is simply one of mentality. They simply really do not care and there is little regulation nor enforcement to make them do so. Nothing will change until owners and operators are held responsible and standard marine hull and safety inspections are mandatory to any operating license. Those operating without a license should be jailed.

However, if you look at the chaos within the road transportation then it is safe to assume that it will remain business as usual..

[shaurene]

Had to be a bloody big hole to go down that fast. Cannot think what the prop got hold of to force it into the hull. That hull must have been full of ROT. These type passenger boats should be taken out the water and surveyed every 6-12 months.

I lived in Spain 1983-1988 and had a 60ft charter boat, each year I had to take it out and a group of Naval personnel would inspect it all over fully, all instruments checked all safety stuff checked before they would re issue my licence, but Thailand, go down local office pay the fee and you get you stamped document. What a place.

[fire2rescue99]

Wow, what incredible footage. Stern is going down first. Glad to see all survived. Yous pays yous money, and yous takes yous chances. Sounds like something Popeye would say.

[Patrick Mills]

How do you go about finding a safe boat to spend the day on? I am from the US, we usually check out the boat before we take the cruise, make sure it's licensed, has insurance, has a good record, make sure it has life jackets on board, I have my own, cause I do a lot of sailing, and finally check out the reviews on line, and if you have time you can go to the Harbor Master and ask if this boat is safe and up to date with all it's licenses. It's a lot to do I know, but it's worth the peace of mind.

[Pomthai]

I've hit heavy warps and nets at sea before. Yes it does damage, can bend props and shafts but it certainly shouldnt rip the gear out. If it does then it had to be structurally unsound in the first place.

I've even seen a 300hp diesel engine on its side in the engine room having been torn off its mounts after the prop was locked almost immediately by hiting a large plastic crate floating. Boat did not sink and was able to go home under its own power on the second engine. - Because it was built and maintained properly.

[stevenl]

Had to be a bloody big hole to go down that fast. Cannot think what the prop got hold of to force it into the hull. That hull must have been full of ROT. These type passenger boats should be taken out the water and surveyed every 6-12 months.

I lived in Spain 1983-1988 and had a 60ft charter boat, each year I had to take it out and a group of Naval personnel would inspect it all over fully, all instruments checked all safety stuff checked before they would re issue my licence, but Thailand, go down local office pay the fee and you get you stamped document. What a place.

The prop was not forced into the hull, the prop was turning and ripped the whole prop shaft out.

So yes, sounds very much like completely rotten.

[Soupdragon]

Had to be a bloody big hole to go down that fast. Cannot think what the prop got hold of to force it into the hull. That hull must have been full of ROT. These type passenger boats should be taken out the water and surveyed every 6-12 months.

I lived in Spain 1983-1988 and had a 60ft charter boat, each year I had to take it out and a group of Naval personnel would inspect it all over fully, all instruments checked all safety stuff checked before they would re issue my licence, but Thailand, go down local office pay the fee and you get you stamped document. What a place.

The prop was not forced into the hull, the prop was turning and ripped the whole prop shaft out.

So yes, sounds very much like completely rotten.

I think the correct nautical term to describe the condition of the timber is "Cake".

Edited January 31, 2014 by Soupdragon

[Spalpeen]

Strange header when in the first line is mentioned the incident happened near Koh Tachai.

Nice example BTW of one of the boats that should not be out there, this comes as no surprise at all.

"Nice example BTW of one of the boats that should not be out there" - how many other boats, like this one, are "out there" right now????

From Phuket all boats I would go on without hesitation. In other places there is less enforcement, and I have seen some boats at both the southern sites (from Krabi, Phi Phi and Koh Lanta) and Similans (from Khao Lak and Ranong) that I would not go on and don't book people on.

.

Shouldn't you declare an interest here, given that you run a dive operation based on Phuket? Some readers might be misled into thinking you are offering an impartial opinion.

[stevenl]

Strange header when in the first line is mentioned the incident happened near Koh Tachai.

Nice example BTW of one of the boats that should not be out there, this comes as no surprise at all.

"Nice example BTW of one of the boats that should not be out there" - how many other boats, like this one, are "out there" right now????

From Phuket all boats I would go on without hesitation. In other places there is less enforcement, and I have seen some boats at both the southern sites (from Krabi, Phi Phi and Koh Lanta) and Similans (from Khao Lak and Ranong) that I would not go on and don't book people on.

.

Shouldn't you declare an interest here, given that you run a dive operation based on Phuket? Some readers might be misled into thinking you are offering an impartial opinion.

Being based on Phuket does not limit to booking in Phuket and not in other places. So yes, my opinion stands, I don't book on boats where I have doubts about safety. Whether that boat is sailing from Phi Phi, Lanta, Ao Nang or Phuket.