Fishing boat carrying Dutch tourists gets smashed by a fishing boat and sinks in Koh Tao

[webfact]

Fishing boat carrying Dutch tourists gets smashed by a fishing boat and sinks in Koh Tao

 

 

KOH TAO: -- Klass Van Eerden, a Dutch national and TV celebrity was enjoying a night out fishing on a local fishing tour with his friend in Koh Tao on August 2nd when a Thai fishing vessel ran into their boat.

 

As the smaller fishing vessel sank Klass and his friend along with the captain were forced to stay afloat by holding onto cooler boxes and jerry cans watching in horror as the larger boat simply left the scene.

 

Luckily for the three stranded passengers the current took them closer to land and they survived their ordeal even if their personal belongings and passports did not.

 

After reporting the incident to the police Klass and his friend are now raising money to buy the captain of their fateful night fishing boat a new vessel.

 

The two Dutch visitors to Koh Tao hope that the captain of the boat that caused them to sink will be caught and brought to justice and are very happy to be alive after their terrifying ordeal.

 

Source: http://www.samuitimes.com/fishing-boat-carrying-dutch-tourists-gets-smashed-by-a-fishing-boat-and-sinks-in-koh-tao/

 

-- © Copyright Samui Times 2016-08-05

[sweatalot]

Koh Tao again.

 

Even if this might have nothing to do with the cruel murder and the scandalous police case

 

the name Koh Tao should stay in the headlines until justice is done

 

Sorry for OT

[DerringDo]

Lucky guys with the current taking them towards a safer place.

 

Was there no boat name for them to see as it hit them? Perhaps on the stern after it passed. All the fishing boats I saw around Hua Hin for example were lit up like Christmas trees.

[mesterm]

Sure it wasn't Burmese who did it?

[Lupatria]

It's time for Miss "Thailand is safe" to change the TAT slogan "Amazing Thailand" to: If life gets boring risk it- visit Thailand!

[ratcatcher]

2 hours ago, DerringDo said:

Lucky guys with the current taking them towards a safer place.

 

Was there no boat name for them to see as it hit them? Perhaps on the stern after it passed. All the fishing boats I saw around Hua Hin for example were lit up like Christmas trees.

Was there no boat name for them to see as it hit them? Perhaps on the stern after it passed

1) At night, did the two fishing Dutchmen have marker lights on their vessel.

2) Thai vessels names are usually written in decorative Thai script, thus indecipherable to most westerners flailing about in the water.

The captain, being Thai may have managed to identify the rogue vessel.

3) They were indeed lucky, and I hope they come out of this in good shape financially.

 

[amykat]

The Dutch tourists are raising money in order to buy a new boat to replace the one they were on that sank.

 

[Carib]

Well, at least these guys have proof of why they went to Thailand....they really did go fishing. 

[MissAndry]

They should get some t-shirts made up. "We survived the Island of Death"

[masuk]

4 hours ago, ratcatcher said:

Was there no boat name for them to see as it hit them? Perhaps on the stern after it passed

1) At night, did the two fishing Dutchmen have marker lights on their vessel.

2) Thai vessels names are usually written in decorative Thai script, thus indecipherable to most westerners flailing about in the water.

The captain, being Thai may have managed to identify the rogue vessel.

3) They were indeed lucky, and I hope they come out of this in good shape financially.

 

If the offending boat did not want to be seen or identified for whatever reason, it would have lights off, names blanked out.

[SOTIRIOS]

...the reports suggest this was no accident....???

[ratcatcher]

1 minute ago, SOTIRIOS said:

...the reports suggest this was no accident....???

Is that a question or a questionable statement?

Is there anything  in the report to suggest it was other than an accident, except for the fact that the rogue vessel was running with no navigation lights? Just curious.

 

[tuanku]

There are "International" rule to prevent collisions at sea, largely ignored or unknown to the captains of fishing boats in these waters. Both boats should have had conventional Port/Starboard - Red/Green lights as well as stern lights and steaming lights if they were under power. This allows skippers to understand the direction boats in the area are travelling in and whether there is a collision risk, as well as which boat has priority on a collision course. Too often fishing boats are unlit and invisible or carrying every light under the moon except the ones which really matter. For instance under the International lighting system, flashing lights are for fixed points like buoys and  moving vessels have steady lights which don't flash, but in Thai waters many smaller boats only carry flashing lights of any colour. One sees a similar situation on the roads where many drivers replace their brake lights with flashing LEDs and lorries carry blue or green rear lights instead of red ones. Once the system is ignored, it becomes impossible to interpret lighting in marginal and emergency situations and uncertainty results in accidents.

[landslide]

I'm impressed that the Dutchman's thoughts were with replacing the Thai skipper's boat after surviving the ordeal.  Good for them.

[moonseeker]

I happen do be out on the Gulf quite often on a large, albeit slow (8 knts.) power-yacht. Did many night trips in all sections of the Gulf, all the way to Singapore and beyond.

During certain periods there are literally thousands of fishing boats, of all kind and sizes out there. Some moving, some stationary. I would say at least 20% don't carry proper international navigation lights. Smaller boats often turn them off, to save their batteries.

Have been in some scary situations and even with good radar & knowledge of the situations that can occur, there is always some risk involved. BTW, as soon as you approach Malay waters, number of boats decline massively, the sea gets cleaner and boats are marked much better.  MS>