Tourist boat capsizes in Thailand: eight Kazakhstanis injured

Tengrinews.kz – A serious collision between a tourist speedboat and a fishing vessel occurred in the Andaman Sea. Among those injured are eight citizens of Kazakhstan.
According to Thai media, the accident happened on the morning of January 11 in the Andaman Sea, in the area between Phuket and the Phi Phi Islands, near Koh Gai and Koh Khiao. At about 08:55 AM local time, emergency services received a report of a collision between the speedboat Koravich Marine 888 and the fishing vessel Pichaisamut 1.

According to Thai authorities, there were 55 people on board the speedboat: 50 foreign tourists, two guides and three crew members. The vessel was operated by Thai citizen Suriya Yuknatorn. As a result of the impact, the bow of the speedboat was badly damaged, the vessel capsized and began to sink. Many passengers ended up in the water.
In total, at least 22 people were injured. Among them are citizens of Russia, the United Kingdom, Poland, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. Sadly, an 18-year-old Russian citizen, Elizaveta Starykh, died.
Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that there were eight Kazakh citizens on board the boat.

“All those injured received medical assistance. At present, three citizens of Kazakhstan have been hospitalised and are under medical supervision; their condition is assessed as stable, and expenses are being covered by the insurance company. The consul is in constant contact with the citizens and is providing the necessary assistance,” the ministry reported.

According to The Sun, witnesses spoke of panic in the water: people were screaming, clinging to each other and trying to help relatives and fellow passengers. Rescuers provided assistance right on the spot, after which the tourists were taken to hospitals in Phuket and on Phi Phi.
As The Thaiger reported, drugs were found on board the speedboat after the accident. Medical testing showed that the boat’s driver was under the influence of narcotics. Police and maritime authorities are examining all possible causes of the collision, including speed, visibility conditions, compliance with navigation rules and the technical condition of the vessel.
The Andaman Sea remains one of Thailand’s most popular tourist regions, with dozens of excursion boats operating daily. Following the incident, local authorities reminded operators of the strict need to comply with safety regulations and to monitor the condition of crew members.