Deadly boat crash spurs action
Adeadly tour speedboat crash at Koh Maiton that killed a 5-year-old Russian girl has spurred action by the leading figures in Phuket’s tour boat industry to help prevent any similar accidents from happening in the future.
Spearheading the effort is Shaun Stenning, CEO and Founder of 5 Star Marine, who is organising a marine safety event at Phuket Boat Lagoon on Monday (Jan 15).
The event, to be held from 5pm to 7pm, will include leading figures from Phuket’s leading Thai and foreign speedboat, yachting and diving operators as well as marine marine industry suppliers and companies and the Phuket Hotels Association and the Marriott Small Business Council.
“As you would know, recent accidents on the water have cast a shadow over our industry and operators within the industry need to step forward and make a commitment to increased safety in the industry,” Mr Stenning wrote in a notice calling people to attend the event.
“I have been coordinating with foreign operators across the island and the Thailand Tourism Council and the Phuket Provincial Government has been coordinating with Thai Operators.”
Phuket Governor Sophon Suwannarat will be attending the event, along with vice governors. Among the government agencies to be present at the event are: Marine Department, Marine Police, Phuket Immigration, Phuket’s three District Chiefs, Phuket Provincial Police, Tourist Police and the Phuket Provincial Tourism and Sports office
“The purpose of the event is to have operators in the room commit to a new safety standard in Phuket as a voluntary commitment, endorsed by the Provincial Government,” Mr Stenning explained.
Attendance at the marine safety event is free. The event will be followed by a networking session from 7pm to 8pm.
DEADLY CRASH
The speedboat ‘Apirak 89’ was returning from Phi Phi Island to Chalong Pier with seven Russian nationals on board when it slammed into rocks at Koh Maithon, southeast of Phuket, at about 3:30pm on Dec 31.
Two speedboats were dispatched to render assistance and bring all nine on the ‘Apirak 89’ back to Chalong Pier, where emergency responders were waiting for them.
The injured were rushed to Dibuk Hospital, Vachira Phuket Hospital and Chalong Hospital. However, a 5-year-old Russian girl named by officials as Liza Pak was later pronounced dead at Chalong Hospital.
One of the Russians, named by officials as ‘Mr Pak Petr’, suffered serious injuries and at last report remained classified as a ‘red’ patient in care at Dibuk Hospital.
Capt Natthaphong, 41, also remained unconscious and intubated at Vachira Phuket Hospital. He suffered a large laceration on the left side of his face.
DRUGS
Phuket officials took four days to admit that the captain of the Apirak 89 had tested positive for methamphetamine use, despite Thai national news agencies reporting the fact the day after the accident.
Further, instead of naming the captain as Natthaphong Kongwilai as they had done in their own previous official reports, when it came to naming the drug-test-positive captain officials cited the name “Mr Natharuj, age 41” ‒ a name never before listed as even on the boat at the time of the accident.
Adding insult to injury, despite not admitting that the captain had tested positive for drug use, officials launched a facile spate of snap drugs tests at key piers on Phuket the day after the accident.
Of the scores of boats that operate from Chalong Pier, only 23 boat operators and crew were tested. None of the 23 samples tested positive for drugs, said an official report of the testing.
The next day (Jan 2), only 18 boat captains and crew were tested at Ratsada Pier, which only a week earlier, on Dec 29, Prawet Suphachai, Director of Regional Harbor Office 5, joined by Phuket Marine Office Chief Natchapong Pranit, pointed out that more than 5,000 people a day were travelling on the boats to and from Ratsada Pier.
Of the 18 tested, one person ‒ captain or crew member not confirmed by officials ‒ tested positive for drug use. The person was referred to a local neighbourhood hospital for treatment.
More comprehensive snap drug tests at Ao Por Pier on Jan 3 saw 64 boat operators tested, with five testing positive for drug use. The five boat operators were immediately suspended from work, Phuket Tourist Police confirmed. The five were to report to the PPHO main office at a later date.
Meanwhile, Marine Police, Wichit Police, Tourist Police and the Phuket Marine Office at last report were all continuing their investigation into the accident.
At time of press no charges had been pressed, despite officials confirming that the boat was not officially registered at the time of the accident. Registration renewal had been submitted, but was not yet completed, officials confirmed.