Superyacht hits bottom off Phuket

[webfact]

Superyacht hits bottom off Phuket
Phuket Gazette


The warnings follow a 55m superyacht reportedly striking a submerged object between Rawai Beach and Koh Bon on April 1. Map: Google Maps

PHUKET: -- Sailors navigating around the south of Phuket are urged to exercise caution after reports surfaced of a 55-meter superyacht hitting an uncharted submerged object in the waters between Rawai Beach and Koh Bon.

“[Members of] the local marine community are reminding boaters of the danger, following a number of incidents which have caused near sinkings,” reported Phuket yachtsman Bob Mott on the international yachting web portal Noonsite (story here).

“The Ao Chalong Yacht Club website advises the approximate location of the submerged object as 5.6NM [nautical miles] from Rawai Beach and 2.43NM from the northern tip of Koh Bon.”

The approximate position of the hazard was given as: 7°45’58.38”N, 98°19’53.58”E

The online Southeast Asia Pilot, a critical cruising guide to Phuket and other ports throughout Asia (story here), reported that the superyacht collision occurred at 5:10pm on April 1 (click here).

The luxury vessel had a draft of 2.6m, but the shallowest points along the edges of the channel are known to draw just 70cm of water during the low Spring tide.

The decimal co-ordinates of the hazard were given as: 07 45.973 / 098 19.893

“Of course, these positions are as reported and are unverified,” a senior editor at the SEA Pilot told the Phuket Gazette.

However, Phuket Marine Office chief Phuripat Theerakulpisut today told the Gazette that his office did not receive a report of the collision and was adamant that no such collision had occurred.

Previous reports affirm, however, that the underwater danger has apparently lurked in the same position for years.

Mr Mott first reported the dangerous obstruction in January 2006 when the 20m aluminum yacht Orion struck the hazard, believed to be a large rock or sunken vessel.

On May 16 that year, the 20m Taipan V required the assistance of the Marine Police to be towed to safety after hitting a submerged hazard at precisely the same location.

— Phuket Gazette

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket-news/Superyacht-hits-bottom-off-Phuket/29310


-- Phuket Gazette 2014-05-01

[starkey_rich]

So just because the the totally useless marine office did not receive a report it obviously never happened.

Probably did not report it as they knew it would be a complete waste of time

[jayjayjayjay]

I think there is an ostritch with it's head stuck in the bottom somewhere of Rawai Beach!

[Gonsalviz]

I watched a twit with perhaps a 12 meter 'yacht' try to cross a sand bar in Destin, FL. Hit it, couldn't make it over, finally got it backed off and rammed it again. Still got stuck.

I imagine the thoughts running through this twits head. I just did this yesterday, never considering the time of day or tides in general.

[Soupdragon]

With such precise coordinates how hard would it be to investigate this.

[EBlair48]

So it hit bottom, or an object? ( which is apparently a known hazard?) Big difference. Sometimes wonder if these fuzzy headlines are deliberate- or don't the sub eds read the content?

[DogNo1]

Sure must be fun yachting around those islands. I love sailing (not motor boating) and really must investigate what yachting opportunities are available for a man of modest means.

[Thai at Heart]

That's going to be good for the insurers.

But of course the Thais claim it never happened.

[aussieinphuket]

Why doesn't the Phuket Maritime Authority or Phuket Marine Office start to put up some hazard markers...

I am an avid boater here in Phuket and unless you are familiar with the waters all around Phuket for a first time user they are very hazardous.

Just because you see a beautiful beach doesn't mean you can access it....

Probably the best time to go boating is low tide then you can see all the unchartered reefs and rocks rising out of the water..

I have had my experiences also hitting submerged foreign items where its was supposed to be safe and we had past there many times before..

I am amazed there are not a lot more incidents reported its only when the boat as on this occasion is an expensive cruiser...

SAFETY should be the first goal of the local authorities but they don't seem to wish to want to spend any money on this and yet

they still want to market The Andaman Sea as the Pearl of the Orient and try and entice owners of luxury boats to bring them here..

Maybe a few more disasters and they will eventually do it...... i doubt it...

[searcherkind666]

And this happened on april 1st ? suspicious .

[Balance]

I watched a twit with perhaps a 12 meter 'yacht' try to cross a sand bar in Destin, FL. Hit it, couldn't make it over, finally got it backed off and rammed it again. Still got stuck.

I imagine the thoughts running through this twits head. I just did this yesterday, never considering the time of day or tides in general.

People who own $50m yachts do not tend to hire twits as captains and crew. What is not at all clear is why a buoy, defined as "an anchored float serving as a navigation mark, to show reefs or other hazards, or for mooring" has not been set or why it has not been added to electronic charts.

[whaleboneman]

Hey. The lower the tide, the more uncharted stuff you'll be able to hit.