Phuket: 20 divers rescued as boat sinks in Andaman Sea

[stevenl]

I received an email today from Chalong Sea Sport announcing a sale of divegear and office furniture. So unfortunately it really looks like they're closing shop.

Edited February 11, 2014 by stevenl

[Guest]

While on Chalong sea sports. Does anyone know where their earlier Similan boat, Thai Sea, is or has it been decommissioned already?

Thai sea has been operating out of Ranong for some years now.

Thanks for the update. I spent a very nice season (my first time in Phuket) on that vessel 02/03.

[Guest]

From CSS Facebook page 18 hours ago: https://www.facebook.com/ChalongSeaSport/posts/502924676485498

About 24 hours ago we lost our liveaboard boat M/V Blue Star. Nobody was injured and nobody panicked in the accident. We had around 1 hour to evacuate the boat. The crew is very proud of every passenger and specially the captain who did his job better than anyone could expect.

We have a big mess in our hands now and it takes a few days to sort things out. Everybody who has booked a trip with us and paid something will get a full refund. If you wish to go diving we can still book you on a Safari on another boat and you get to dive with our dive guides. Life goes on ladies and gentleman!

[AdamRich]

Good they are all saved. When living in Phuket knowing some of the companies and the drunken sexpat dive instructors and x bar girl staff they employed its any wonder it dosnt happen more regularly

What do the divemasters and the staff have to do with the boat sinking? The captain is in charge of the boat.

[Chalard]

I received an email today from Chalong Sea Sport announcing a sale of divegear and office furniture. So unfortunately it really looks like they're closing shop.

Could be an insurance job then???

[stevenl]

I received an email today from Chalong Sea Sport announcing a sale of divegear and office furniture. So unfortunately it really looks like they're closing shop.

Could be an insurance job then???

Since they were severely underinsured, no.

Sent from my D90W using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[moe666]

All of you worry warts need to go home where it is oo so safe

[rjcampbe]

No boat trips for me when I go to Phuket. And no buses either. Nor vans. Nor motorcycles. Looks like I'll be walking everywhere.

.

There was a couple of Korean pedestrians killed recently also.

I think, wherever you are , you should just stay in bed.

Good advice, but practice safe sex...

Just sayin'...

[RigPig]

An electrical fault, in Thailand nooooooo I don't believe it

There are 2 things (as an electrician) you should ALWAYS adhere to :

1/ NEVER put someone in a position where they can sustain (even potentially) an electric shock...

2/ NEVER put ANYTHING in a (potential) position where it can catch fire....

Just because it turns on and off and seems to work DOESN'T make it OK

It never fails to amaze me how people ignore electricity (even when I have pointed out the dangers to the extent of drawing pictures), just shrug your shoulders and hope it doesn't happen to you. This is a classic example of "you may get away with it 10,000 times or more but it only takes one time...)

How many people out there have the round "Shuko" plugs on their appliances (with the earth connection on the outside of the plug) and have the wrong points on the wall to accommodate it? Did you spend $2.00 and have it changed or do you just keep plugging it in because it works OK?

I recently sent my fridge away to get a leak fixed and be gassed, it came back with the earth pin cut off the plug (even though I had changed out all the plugs on my appliances that aren't double insulated), because the guy who "fixed" it never had grounded points in his workshop so couldn't plug it in to test it.......

To a degree you do get what you pay for !!!

Keep on rolling the dice or as Dirty Harry said "are you feeling lucky punk? I know what your thinking did he fire 5 or 6 shots?" The point is you wouldn't do it if you were looking down the barrel of a .357 Magnum revolver, because you can see the danger. But you (almost) all do it everyday with electricity......

I guess we all enjoy the lottery but this is one time you don't want your number to come up !!!

[cloudhopper]

Apparently a short in the engine room. Wonder how many fire extinguishers were aboard...

[RigPig]

Apparently a short in the engine room. Wonder how many fire extinguishers were aboard...

VERY good point, smoke detectors......

I would think the timber on a boat would be substantially wet, for a fire to sink a boat you would think it would take a while to get a hold unless the fuel or something caught a light. But I am noexpert, thank goodness no one was injured.

[fifthcolumn]

They are all doing their boats in for the insurance money now that the coral is gone. Pretty obvious. Bad luck lol.

[RigPig]

They are all doing their boats in for the insurance money now that the coral is gone. Pretty obvious. Bad luck lol.

I actually thought the same thing but after talking to people I know here in the industry they seemed to think not this time, the guy had spent too much time and money on it. The chances of recovering his outlay would be pretty slim (apparently). He was actually doing (seemingly) quite well from it. I think probably a TNT (Twist 'N Tape) join on some wiring in the engine room that ignited some fuel...somehow. You can draw 80 amps easily from a 12 volt car battery !!

[stevenl]

They are all doing their boats in for the insurance money now that the coral is gone. Pretty obvious. Bad luck lol.

Since it was way underinsured that is very unlikely.

[RigPig]

They are all doing their boats in for the insurance money now that the coral is gone. Pretty obvious. Bad luck lol.

Since it was way underinsured that is very unlikely.

Agreed, the boat will be sorely missed by the industry I believe, it was one of the better ones, both from a physical and professional point of view from what I can make out.

Which brings us to another point ........

[Old Croc]

Have just heard that 1 Japanese tourist diver has been found dead, and another six are missing off Bali.

[Soupdragon]

Have just heard that 1 Japanese tourist diver has been found dead, and another six are missing off Bali.

Yeh I read about that but they were diving in an area well known for funky currents. The currents around Nusa Penida are very strong and where they meet and split around Nusa Lembongan very strong down currents can come from nowhere and sweep you away, certain areas can only be dived on a slack tide. Maybe they miscalculated the time to enter the water and were at depth when the currents came.

[Old Croc]

Have just heard that 1 Japanese tourist diver has been found dead, and another six are missing off Bali.

Yeh I read about that but they were diving in an area well known for funky currents. The currents around Nusa Penida are very strong and where they meet and split around Nusa Lembongan very strong down currents can come from nowhere and sweep you away, certain areas can only be dived on a slack tide. Maybe they miscalculated the time to enter the water and were at depth when the currents came.

My first ever tank dive was at Nusa Penida many years ago. We received cursory training on the ferry on the way over to the island, and were under water shortly after arrival. It wasn't very deep (20' or so) and it was a fairly safe area.

[IrishIvan]

Have just heard that 1 Japanese tourist diver has been found dead, and another six are missing off Bali.

Yeh I read about that but they were diving in an area well known for funky currents. The currents around Nusa Penida are very strong and where they meet and split around Nusa Lembongan very strong down currents can come from nowhere and sweep you away, certain areas can only be dived on a slack tide. Maybe they miscalculated the time to enter the water and were at depth when the currents came.

My first ever tank dive was at Nusa Penida many years ago. We received cursory training on the ferry on the way over to the island, and were under water shortly after arrival. It wasn't very deep (20' or so) and it was a fairly safe area.

Bit off topic but scuba related, I saw this today http://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/five-missing-divers-found-alive-in-bali/story-fnizu68q-1226829713319