Two missing snorkellers found safe off Phuket
Darawan Naknakhon


Marine police get ready to continue their search this morning.

PHUKET: -- Two tourists who went missing during a snorkelling trip to Koh Racha Noi yesterday evening (August 20) were plucked from the sea by a Malaysian cargo boat earlier today (August 21).

Phuket Marine Policeʼs Maj Nattapong Phuktharathikul and his team went out this morning to continue to search for Arbang Shairlaw, 31, from Thailand and Ze Pha Zu, 25, from China, when at 10am they received a call from the VTT Group tour company stating that the two had been found and rescue by a Malaysian cargo boat.

“We are now communicating with the cargo boat so that we can go and pick up the two men,” said Maj Nattapong.

Watcharin Shairlaw, the captain of the speedboat with whom the two had travelled to Koh Racha Noi yesterday, confirmed to police that he spoken to one of the missing men and that that they were safe and on board the Malaysian boat.

“The men had drifted 10 nautical miles north of Koh Racha Noi when they were found early this morning,” Mr Watcharin said.

Maj Nattapong said, “Mr Watcharin had taken 11 tourists and two crew members to snorkel at Racha Noi early yesterday morning and when they were ready to leave Mr Arbang and Mr Zu had not returned to the boat.

“They had searched for the two, but by 7pm they had not been able to find them as it was too dark so they called for help.

“Marine police and rescue workers went to search for the missing men last night but by 9:30pm they had to give up because it was too dark and the water was too shallow,” Maj Nattapong said.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/two-missing-snorkellers-found-safe-off-phuket-53749.php

-- Phuket News 2015-08-21

Roughly translated it means that

We left them at the rock and by the time we realised they had drifted 10 miles away.

Roughly translated it means that

We left them at the rock and by the time we realised they had drifted 10 miles away.

No.

It means the tourists swam away, and tried to leave Thailand illegally, on a Malaysian cargo boat.

Wow.

They were lucky (or unlucky depending how you look at it).

This is why I rent a boat for the day when I want to go snorkeling. The captain doesn't get me back safely to shore, he doesn't get paid.

This is why I rent a boat for the day when I want to go snorkeling. The captain doesn't get me back safely to shore, he doesn't get paid.

I would make the Captain snorkel with me.

That way, the boat doesn't go anywhere, until we are both back onboard.