A ferry carrying approximately 70 passengers and crew members, mostly foreign tourists, sank on Friday morning (Dec 22) near Koh Tao, a popular tourist destination. All on board were rescued without injury.
The incident involved the T. Sandee Maneesap 111, a 115-gross-tonne vessel, which encountered treacherous conditions approximately 4 nautical miles from Koh Tao’s coast. The ferry, battered by waves as high as 3 meters, sustained major damage, leading to seawater flooding and pump failure.
The ferry departed from the Surat Thani municipal pier at 11 p.m. on Thursday (Dec 21), with an expected arrival time at Koh Tao of 5 a.m. on Friday. However, it sank around 10.30 a.m.
In the wake of the incident, the Navy’s Second Fleet dispatched the Tor 112 patrol boat to the site for inspection and to assist in recovering passengers’ belongings. Navy divers are also preparing to examine the sunken vessel.
Preliminary investigations confirm that the passenger count was within the vessel’s capacity limits. The Meteorological Department had issued warnings of strong winds, high waves, and heavy rains in the Gulf of Thailand, advising smaller boats to remain ashore from Friday to Tuesday. (NNT)
