The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Thailand Trade and Economic Office in Taipei are helping Thai people affected by a ferry capsizing incident off Kaohsiung city of Taiwan.
Thanee Saengrat, director-general of the Department of Information and spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said a ferry that carried ten Thai crewmembers capsized off Kaohsiung on the night of Oct 23. Four patrol boats and four rescue boats were deployed at the scene.
Five crewmembers who wore life jackets were rescued and brought to the Port of Kaohsiung. Two of them were sent to hospital. Searches for the rest five crewmembers continued.
Seatran Ferry Co bought the ferry from Japan and hired Advance Marine Co to deliver it to Thailand. The ferry left Japan on Oct 14. It had a technical problem and issued a distress signal on Oct 19 before capsizing on Oct 23.
The Thailand Trade and Economic Office in Taipei and a ship agency were coordinating help for affected crewmembers and their relatives, Mr Thanee said. (TNA)