Despite fading hopes, rescuers in Thailand yesterday resumed a search for 18 survivors after a boat carrying Chinese tourists sank off the island of Phuket in rough weather, while authorities began to investigate the boat’s operator.
The death toll from one of the worst transport accidents in Thailand’s recent history has reached 38, authorities said, with 49 of the 105 passengers on the sunken Phoenix rescued, although 37 were still in the hospital, some with severe injuries.
“We will take any chance in the search for life,” Thai Minister of Tourism and Sport Weerasak Kowsurat said at the search site on Friday, following comments by a Marine Department official that there was probably “no chance” of finding more survivors.”
Photo: AP
“Safety and service have to be placed above revenue,” he added.
The Chinese embassy in Thailand says its ambassador had an “emergency conversation” by telephone with Thailand’s deputy prime minister after the boat sank and at least 33 Chinese tourists died.
The statement late on Friday said that Chinese Ambassador to Thailand Lyu Jian (呂健) spoke with Thai Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak and called on Thailand to quickly mobilize an intensive search for the missing and make appropriate arrangements for those who were rescued and injured.
Lyu said that China hoped the cause of the capsizing would be quickly ascertained.
The search for the 23 people still missing resumed yesterday morning.
A local government in eastern China said on its official microblog account that the head of the Haining Haipai Furniture Co Ltd (海宁海派家具有限公司) had identified many of the boat passengers as its employees and their families.
Some Thais and tour operators have questioned why the boat was at sea during bad weather.
The Thai junta’s number two, Prawit Wongsuwan, has ordered an investigation into why the crew appeared to have ignored a weather warning, while police said that they would seek to charge the captain and owner with negligence.
The Phoenix, which was carrying 93 Chinese along with 12 Thai crew and tour guides, sank after being hit by 5m high waves in a storm on Thursday evening off Phuket, whose beaches and nightlife draw tourists.
Thailand is in the middle of its rainy season, which usually runs from May to mid-October and often generates high winds and flash storms in coastal areas.
Tourism is a key driver of growth in Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy, making up 12 percent of GDP, and the most foreign visitors come from China.
Many of the dead from the disaster were found drifting face down, wearing life jackets, near where the boat sank.
The dead and injured were taken to a hospital on Phuket’s east coast, where relatives began to gather, with more expected over the weekend. Officials have asked for Chinese interpreters to assist.
Thai officials yesterday ordered boats not involved in the search to stay at anchor while it lasts.
Accidents on the scale of this week’s disaster were “not good” for Thailand, said tourist police official Surachate Hakparn, adding: “We have to be more stringent.”
Additional reporting by AP
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