Dive boat sinks killing one in Phuket

PHUKET: It is believed that at least one person died when a diveboat capsized and sank 40 kilometers off the coast of Phuket in a storm on tuesday 7th June.

Details are still sketchy but the Asia Dive Site understands that the 20-meter boat, from Khao Lak-based dive business Bubble Blue, was travelling from Phuket to the Similan Islands when it was hit by a four-meter wave at around 8 am.

At least one person on board, a woman tourist named as Sukonthapan Weerawan, is said to have died.

It is thought that there were 13 passengers and five crew on board at the time.

A police boat and a navy boat were sent to the scene after the alert was raised – at 12.50 pm – and Capt Kiatkul Suwan, Commander Officer of Naval Air Section Third Area Command, told ADS that a helicopter was also sent to the scene.

Capt Kiatkul said the helicopter had been kept on standby until 5.30 pm, but did not pick anyone up, and it then had to be sent to Cape Panwa, where another boat had sunk.

He added that the Royal Thai Navy vessel Kamronsin was put on standby during the day between Koh Similan and Koh Surin, but returned to Phuket just after 6 pm.