Tour operators blamed

Phuket: A Thai Government minister has blamed Chinese tour operators for the deaths of more than 40 people, most of them Chinese tourists, in a boat accident off a resort island at the weekend, as divers yesterday searched for 11 people still missing.

The boat, the Phoenix, sank in high seas on Thursday off the west coast island of Phuket with 101 people on board, including 89 tourists and 12 crew, during an outing to a small island for snorkelling. — AAP