Chinese Tourists Rescued from Sinking Boat off Koh Lanta Noi

A family of Chinese tourists landed safely ashore on Wednesday following a rescue effort near Koh Lanta Noi in Krabi province.

KRABI — Navy personnel rescued four Chinese tourists from rough seas after their boat foundered in harsh weather Wednesday afternoon, an officer said.

The boat captain had ignored a rough seas warning to take the four on a tour of islands off the coast of Krabi province prior to the accident, according to Chief Petty Officer Weerayuth Praidam, the officer in charge of the rescue effort.

“There’s already a warning for small vessels not to leave the shore, but the captain probably thought it was okay because at first the sky was clear,” Weerayuth said Thursday. “But when the boat was headed back to shore, the weather took a turn for the worse.”

The boat reportedly hit a particularly rough wave that splintered a wooden deck plank, prompting water to rush in. The captain phoned for help and a navy personnel were dispatched from a garrison on nearby Koh Lanta Noi.

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The four tourists suffered slight bruises but were otherwise in good condition, Weerayuth said. He added that the boat operator will not be charged for ignoring the weather warning.

“The tourists weren’t upset. They understood it was an accident, so they didn’t file any complaint to police,” Weerayuh said.

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