Crewman missing after cargo boat sinks near Phuket

[webfact]

Crewman missing after cargo boat sinks near Phuket
Darawan Naknakhon


Bits of cargo float in the area where the boat sank while rescuers look for signs of the missing crewman.

PHUKET: -- Divers are looking for a missing crew member of a cargo boat that turned turtle and sank in heavy weather off Phi Phi island yesterday (December 29).

Rescue boats were sent out at 4:30pm yesterday from Krabi after an SOS from the Sor Jatuporn, which carries goods regularly from Krabi to Phi Phi.

The boat sank near Runtee Bay, two kilometres from Phi Phi pier. The rescuers were able to pick up 14 people but one Burmese crew member was still missing this afternoon.

Tosak Praditjareon, 59, the owner of the vessel, told police that the boat left Saithai in Krabi at 1:30pm, heading for Phi Phi under the command of Seksan Changreur, 50.

As it approached Runtee Bay, it was hit by a four-metre wave that flipped it over. It then sank. Crew were left floating in the sea among pieces of cargo for more than 30 minutes before help arrived.

Today Phi Phi Police Inspector Lt Col Danai Niyomdacha led a team of Marine Police and divers to begin the search around the wreck 20 metres beow the surface, to try to locate the missing crewman, a 29-year-old known only as Uo.

Uo’s brother Moo said that his brother could not swim, and might have been trapped in a cabin on the boat.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/crewman-missing-after-cargo-boat-sinks-near-phuket-50375.php


-- Phuket News 2014-12-31

[ScotBkk]

Terrible Tragedy

[cloudhopper]

Terrible Tragedy

That would have had a happier ending had any life jackets been aboard the obviously unseaworthy vessel.

Capsized and sank by a 4 meter wave...

[Sviss Geez]

Terrible Tragedy

That would have had a happier ending had any life jackets been aboard the obviously unseaworthy vessel.

Capsized and sank by a 4 meter wave...

Obviously unseaworthy?

[cloudhopper]

Terrible Tragedy

That would have had a happier ending had any life jackets been aboard the obviously unseaworthy vessel.

Capsized and sank by a 4 meter wave...

Obviously unseaworthy?

Yes any cargo vessel that can be capsized and sunk by a 4 meter wave is not in any way seaworthy.