Cargo ship 'ran over and sank' Phuket fishing boat

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Cargo ship 'ran over and sank' Phuket fishing boat
Eakkapop Thongtub


The Phuong Nam 69, now in Phang Nga.

PHUKET: -- Marine crime officers are currently investigating an incident involving the Vietnamese registered cargo ship Phuong Nam 69 after it allegedly ran over a local fishing boat in the sea off Phuket, sinking it.

Yesterday (January 13), Arom Sriim, 58, the owner of the fishing boat Wasana Waree reported to Phuket Marine Police that at 8:40am, while he was anchoring his boat 10 miles from Phuket International Airport, the cargo ship came at speed and crashed into the front of his boat, causing it to sink.

Mr Arom and three other crew members were thrown into the sea, but were quickly rescued by nearby boats.

Mr Arom said that the Phuong Nam 69 made no attempt to stop after the incident, and that he had no information on the ship so was unable to contact its captain.

Phuket Marine Office Chief, Phuripat Theerakulpisut said that officials at the Phuket Vessel Traffic Monitoring Centre at Chalong Pier had already been notified of the collision, and have confirmed that the Vietnamese ship was on its way to Myanmar with transporting 5,000 tonnes of cement.

The Phuket Marine Office has also confirmed that officers caught up with the Phuong Nam 69 and have moved it to Phang Nga Bay while an investigation is carried out.

The captain of the vessel was taken to Tha Chat Chai Police station for questioning.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/cargo-ship-ran-over-and-sank-phuket-fishing-boat-50543.php


-- Phuket News 2015-01-14

[hansgruber]

Meh. One less fishing boat poaching the sea won't make me lose any sleep.

Carry on your good work captain.

[samsensam]

due to the size, lack of manoeuvrability and stopping distance of large vessels it is the responsibility of smaller vessels to keep out of the way. possibly the fishing boat lost power, the cargo boat may have snagged the net or the fishing boat crew may simply not have been paying attention.

[Chicog]

due to the size, lack of manoeuvrability and stopping distance of large vessels it is the responsibility of smaller vessels to keep out of the way. possibly the fishing boat lost power, the cargo boat may have snagged the net or the fishing boat crew may simply not have been paying attention.

But he is Thai so it must have been the other feller's fault.

[apetley]

due to the size, lack of manoeuvrability and stopping distance of large vessels it is the responsibility of smaller vessels to keep out of the way. possibly the fishing boat lost power, the cargo boat may have snagged the net or the fishing boat crew may simply not have been paying attention.

The fishing boat was anchoring so would have been stopped in the water and the Phuong Nam 69 is registered at just over 5000 tonnes and 93 metres, hardly a large vessel.

[fxe1200]

f you are anchoring, you are obliged to set an anchorball, fort others to see, that you are not moving and anchoring. If an anchorball was not raised, the captain of the freighter might have set course to the stern of the fishing vessel, assuming that the fishing vessel is moving forward. In any case, it is the duty of both watchmen/pilots in charge to execute appropriate manoeuvres to avoid contact. If there is no one on watch, than that is bad seamanship, and both captains should be charged, and their licenses revoked.

[inzman]

Is this anything like on the road the Thais speed up to get in front of me then stop abruptly to turn. They also stop their vehicle in the middle of a small two lane road and go inside 7. They must drive boats the same way, but to do so in front of a bigger ship , you lose. Som nom na.

[fxe1200]

due to the size, lack of manoeuvrability and stopping distance of large vessels it is the responsibility of smaller vessels to keep out of the way. possibly the fishing boat lost power, the cargo boat may have snagged the net or the fishing boat crew may simply not have been paying attention.

This is B.S. In international waters it is, that a power driven vessel that has another vessel on her starboard side, must keep out of the way of the other. Sailing ships under sails still have the absolute right of way, though it is commonplace to communicate and do not force i.e. the "Tokyo Maru" to change course.

[weegee]

if the fishing boat is anchored with appropriate signs on the mast....he is NOT in the wrong !!!!

But if he had no sign that he was anchored....Different kettle of fish.

Besides, there are really no rules in Asian waters.

[fxe1200]

if the fishing boat is anchored with appropriate signs on the mast....he is NOT in the wrong !!!!

But if he had no sign that he was anchored....Different kettle of fish.

Besides, there are really no rules in Asian waters.

There are rules for piloting in international waters, and they are valid in Vietnamese or Thai waters as well. The problem is, that these rules cannot be assimilated by coconuts.

Edited January 14, 2015 by fxe1200

[Andre0720]

If the fishing boat captain would have had prior experience driving on thai roads, this tragedy would have been avoided...

[Old Croc]

As someone who has done a lot of fishing in small boats well out to sea, and often in shipping lanes, i can tell you the only rule that counts is "might is right".

If you see a ship heading in your general direction, you up lines, anchors, and everything else, and move. Dont expect the ship to notice you and start evasive manouvers, it wont happen.

The fishing boat captain was at fault for failing to keep a proper lookout and for assuming the ship would slalom around him..

[CapeThai]

due to the size, lack of manoeuvrability and stopping distance of large vessels it is the responsibility of smaller vessels to keep out of the way. possibly the fishing boat lost power, the cargo boat may have snagged the net or the fishing boat crew may simply not have been paying attention.

But he is Thai so it must have been the other feller's fault.

Yeah, the power of Thainess...

[CapeThai]

Is this anything like on the road the Thais speed up to get in front of me then stop abruptly to turn. They also stop their vehicle in the middle of a small two lane road and go inside 7. They must drive boats the same way, but to do so in front of a bigger ship , you lose. Som nom na.

His Thainess failed him in deep waters....

[stevenl]

Yes, legal fault may be important for insurance/compensation purposes.

But judging from the indicated value in another news source this was a longtail boat, maybe a very small standard fishing boat. Either way, with the waves at that time this fishing vessel was almost invisible to the bigger boat. I also know that when I am in a small vessel these big boats scare the shit out of me and I try to stay away from them as far as practically possible, because I know they can hardly see me, and if they do see me they can hardly change course.

This 'captain' should have known better..

[AlQaholic]

Anchoring in a mayor cargo transport lane does not make any sense.

[canman]

As someone who has done a lot of fishing in small boats well out to sea, and often in shipping lanes, i can tell you the only rule that counts is "might is right".

If you see a ship heading in your general direction, you up lines, anchors, and everything else, and move. Dont expect the ship to notice you and start evasive manouvers, it wont happen.

The fishing boat captain was at fault for failing to keep a proper lookout and for assuming the ship would slalom around him..

Might is right also known as tonnage rights

[TomYumpoochai]

due to the size, lack of manoeuvrability and stopping distance of large vessels it is the responsibility of smaller vessels to keep out of the way. possibly the fishing boat lost power, the cargo boat may have snagged the net or the fishing boat crew may simply not have been paying attention.

Yet again another tv EXPERT dives in with the facts and obviously didnt read past the 1st line... you normally lose all POWER when anchoring... or do you park under full throttle and just yank on the handbrake?

[FredNL]

99% of the Thai car drivers don´t know the rules in traffic. The same for Thai skippers, On all the trips I´ve been in Thailand, none of the skippers / captains ever heard of the International Offshore Rules and were thinking that they always had priority, All others had to give way. No way you will ever see me on a boat in Thailand.

Edited January 19, 2015 by FredNL