PHUKET – The Phuket Regional Harbour Office received a report of a marine accident at 3:30 p.m. on December 31 from the Andaman Marine Traffic and Safety Control Centre, stating that a speedboat carrying 7 passengers—the captain and one crew member—totaling 9 people had crashed into the rocks on the shore of Mai Thon Island, Chalong Subdistrict, Mueang Phuket District, Phuket Province.
All of the individuals on the boat, aged 3 to 63, were injured, and two of them were critically injured: Mr. Natthaphong Kongwilai, 42, the boat driver, and a 5-year-old Russian girl who lost consciousness. Sadly, she died later in the Chalong hospital.
Staff of the Rescue Tourist Assistance Centre and Chalong Hospital vehicles transported the four injured people to Dibuk Hospital, three to Vachira Phuket Hospital, and two to Chalong Hospital.
The Apirak 89 speedboat was hired for a group of Russian visitors. They set out at 7:30 a.m. from Chalong Pier beachfront in Mueang Phuket District towards the Phi Phi Islands in Krabi Province. When the boat was returning to Chalong Bay Pier in Phuket Province, it hit the rocks hard as it passed Mai Thon Island.
Mr. Preecha Soisan, 49, the boat’s crew, stated that he was standing and talking with passengers at the time of the accident. He was conscious when his body hit with the boat.
Phuket Regional Harbour Office officials And the police are examining the cause of the collision and taking additional action against those involved.
Deputy Public Health chief of Phuket province Somsuk Samphanprateep said on Monday, January 1, the captain of a speedboat tested positive for meth amphetamine in his blood. Three remain in hospital as of press time Monday.
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