Two missing after diving boat capsizes off Phangnga

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12 passengers rescued, search continues for a Thai and a foreigner

PUBLISHED : 23 Dec 2023 at 14:06

Two missing after diving boat capsizes off Phangnga
A diving boat, with 14 passengers on board, capsized near the Surin islands in Phangnga province on Saturday. Two people are still missing. (Photo: Phangnga Public Relations Office)

A Thai national and a foreign tourist are missing following a scuba diving tour mishap off the coast of the southern province of Phangnga on Saturday morning.

The Thai Maritime Enforcement Coordination Centre (Thai-MECC) received a report at 9am that the diving boat Porn Sawan had had an accident and sunk near Torinla island, also known as Koh Kai.

The incident took place just outside the Surin islands, about four nautical miles from the mainland.

The boat, with 14 passengers on board, had departed from Tap Lamung Port for a diving excursion.

Responding to the vessel’s distress call, the fishing boat Porn Supranee 9 managed to assist 12 people to safety. However, two passengers, one Thai national and the other identified as a foreign tourist, remain unaccounted for.

The 12 rescued people were returned to shore at noon, and search operations are currently under way to locate the missing persons.