A fishing boat carrying Thai tourists capsized near an island off Pattaya after it was hit by strong waves, leaving passengers stranded until rescuers arrived.
The chartered boat chad 14 Thai tourists onboard when it capsized off the coast of Pattaya.
The incident occurred near Koh Man Wichai, roughly 20 kilometres from the shore, after strong winds and waves overwhelmed the vessel yesterday, November 21. The group had set out at 7am from Laem Bali Hai pier, according to survivors.
A survivor, 28 year old Natthawut Sihamat, said he and 13 relatives had hired the fishing boat from Suphat Juyaem, known as “Tai Lek”, for a leisure trip. At around 9am, the skipper went below deck to fix the bilge pump, which had stopped working. As he was carrying out repairs, the boat was struck by a powerful wave on the port side, causing it to tilt and sink rapidly.
“We tried to cling onto anything we could. We floated in the sea for more than seven hours.”
While some passengers had life jackets, others didn’t, and not everyone could swim. Four people, including a young girl, managed to swim to Koh Man Wichai to seek help. The rest, including two young boys and the skipper, remained adrift in open waters.
One of the passengers, Yongyut Decharasamee, later reached Koh Man Wichai after drifting for hours and reunited with those who had made it to the island earlier.
The Chon Buri Maritime Enforcement Command Centre (Thai-MECC) received an alert at 1.33pm yesterday via the marine rescue Line group and emergency hotline 1465. Patrol vessel 4008 was dispatched immediately and coordinated with local boats, despite rough conditions.
Rescue teams managed to retrieve all passengers and the skipper by 5.30pm. One person was found unconscious but still breathing. All survivors were brought ashore using inflatable rescue craft.
Initial reports had suggested 13 people were on board, but officials later confirmed there were 15, including the skipper, according to Bangkok Post.
The boat’s operator, Suphat, was rushed to hospital after being found unresponsive due to water inhalation. He remains under medical care.
Officials have launched a full investigation into the cause of the incident, including a review of the vessel’s safety gear and maintenance history.
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