[ad_1]
The bodies were found, floating and still wearing life jackets, several kilometers from the area where the Phoenix had sunk. The dive boat was caught in a storm Thursday with waves five meters high, returning from a day trip from Phuket. " The death toll is 37, with 18 people missing ," said a Thai naval official, on condition of anonymity.
ALSO READ. A boat capsizes off a tourist island in Thailand, dozens of missing
A Chinese survivor found several kilometers from the wreck site, after spending the night in the water, was hospitalized in Phuket , noted an AFP journalist. His state of health was not known. Carrying a total of 105 pbadengers, mostly Chinese tourists, the Phoenix was surprised by a five-meter wave after ignoring a storm warning in this monsoon season when the Andaman Sea is tumultuous.
"[19459003Theskywasclearwhenweleftwedidnotimaginethattheweathercouldchangesoquickly"said Wu Jun, 28, who was at the hospital at the bedside of his wife Long Hai Ning. The couple, on their honeymoon, was separated on the boat but survived. " I clung to the railing and climbed overboard ," he said.
Bodies, wrapped in sacks, were brought back to Phuket and transferred to to be identified
The wreck lies in the Thai Navy at 40 meters depth, a few kilometers from the island of Koh He known for its coral formations and popular with tourists. In addition to the divers participating in the search operations, helicopters were browsing the area on Friday.
Inquiry
"I am not really sure how much will survive ," told reporters, face closed, the governor of Phuket, Noraphat Plodthong. About 50 people were rescued Thursday, before relief operations were suspended for the night. The record of this sinking makes it one of the worst in Thailand's recent history.
The Thai junta's number two, Prawit Wongsuwon, has ordered an investigation into the reasons why the boat has sailed despite the storm warning issued since Wednesday. Several boats seem to have ignored the warnings not to take tourists on an excursion to the islands around Phuket.
Other boats found themselves in trouble on Thursday night in the same area, but all their pbadengers were finally rescued , according to the governor. The Phoenix returned from Koh Racha, a popular spot for diving enthusiasts. A Chinese consular agent has arrived at the Phuket operations center to monitor rescue operations.
Phuket attracts many foreign visitors, including Westerners and Chinese tourists who make up nearly a third of the expected 35 million people this year in Thailand. Last year, 9.8 million Chinese tourists visited the country and in the first five months of this year, there were five million.
Thailand is also the subject of media attention internationals for the spectacular rescue of twelve children and their football coach trapped for 13 days in a flooded cave in the north.
[ad_2]
Source link
