Senior local officials insist no one killed in boat accident off Pha Ngan
The Surat Thani governor and Pha Nga police chief insisted Sunday that no one was killed or went missing in the boat accident off Koh Pha Ngan late Saturday night, which injured 40 people.
The 40 injured people were admitted to three hospitals on Koh Samui.
The accident happened at about 20 minutes after midnight about two kilometers away from the island where a full moon party was being held on the Rin Beach Saturday night.
The Phetcharat 59, a speed boat, was ferrying 25 tourists from Rin Beach back to Samui when it collided head-on with Chalerm Choknava 5, which was taking 39 tourists from Samui to attend the full moon party.
Prawet Supachai, chief of Samui Marine Transport Office, said he was on the Phetcharat 59 when the accident occurred.
He said the collision sounded very loud and the bows of the two boats were broken into pieces, causing the two boats to sink very fast.
Prawet said it was fortunate that a patrol boat of the Surat Thani Marine Police came to rescue the tourists and crew very fast. Other speed boats nearby also rushed in to help.
He said he had earlier instructed officials at piers to make sure that all passengers of speed boat wear air jackets so they could be recued fast without anyone being killed.
Surat Thani Governor Damri Boonjit said no one was killed in the accident, which would have no impact on the tourism on Pha Ngan and Samui islands.
He said police were investigating the case.
Pol Col Jarun Uchuparp, chief of the Pha Ngan police station said police were interrogating crew of the two speed boats. The crew insisted no one was killed or went missing, Jarun said.
Twenty-nine tourists were admitted to the Bangkok Samui Hospitsal, 6 to Bandon Inter Samui Hospital and 5 other to Thai Inter Samui Hospital.
The accident did not disrupt the party that continued until the morning. By 8 am, many foreign tourists were seen lying apparently drunk on the Rin Beach.
The Full Moon Party on Pha Ngan is well-known as the venue for tourists to come for drinks and dancing all night long.