49 Missing After Boat Capsized Off Thailand’s Phuket Island

The Thai navy on Thursday disclosed that a boat conveying 97 persons, including Chinese tourists and Thai crew, capsized in rough seas off Thailand’s tourist island of Phuket, with 49 persons still missing.

Thailand ususally experience a adverse weather conditions as a result of the fact that the Asia country is in the middle of its monsoon season.

“Right now we are still looking for 49 people. We have helped 48 people from the capsized boat.

“We have sent boats to help, they were all wearing life jackets,” Rear Admiral Somnuk Prempramote, commander of the Royal Thai Navy Region 3, said.

According to the Navy, the boat was one of three to encounter difficulties at sea in the area.

Naija News recalls that Thailand is still making efforts to rescue 12 boys and their coach who were found alive this week after becoming trapped inside a cave in the country’s north.

Road and boat accidents involving tourists are common in Thailand, where safety standards are sometimes well below international norms.

However, accidents barely affect the Thailand’s tourism industry, one of the few bright spots in their economy.