Driver of speedboat that killed French tourist arrested

Driver of speedboat that killed French tourist arrested

A speedboat, operated by Amazing Canoeing Group Co, is seized and its captain Yothin Suepsak arrested in Phuket following an accident that killed a 52-year-old French woman who was snorkeling at Koh Pada island in Krabi on Tuesday afternoon. (Photo by Achadtaya Chuenniran)
A speedboat, operated by Amazing Canoeing Group Co, is seized and its captain Yothin Suepsak arrested in Phuket following an accident that killed a 52-year-old French woman who was snorkeling at Koh Pada island in Krabi on Tuesday afternoon. (Photo by Achadtaya Chuenniran)

Phuket police have arrested the driver of a speedboat that struck and killed a French woman in Krabi after he fled the scene.

Yothin Suepsak, 30, and his Myanmar assistant, Maling El Aee, 27, were taken into custody by Thalang police when their boat reached Ao Por pier in Thalang district.

They were alerted by authorities in Krabi, where the 52-year-old French woman hit in the head by the propeller of Yothin's boat while she was snorkelling off Koh Poda in the coastal province on Tuesday afternoon.

Yothin Suepsak (right in red) is interrogated by police at Thalang station. (Photo by Adchadtaya Chuenniran)

The tourist, whose name is being withheld pending family notification, died instantly in the 4pm incident, said Pol Lt Col Anurak Prinyasathirakul, a Krabi marine police inspector.

The speedboat, operated by Amazing Canoeing Group Co, then sped off toward Phuket.

Pol Col Somphong Thip-apakul, chief of Krabi police, led a team of police to inspect the scene of the accident and coordinated with Phuket police and marine officers to intercept the boat.

In Phuket, Mr Yothin told police he did not realise the tourist was killed when she was hit and decided to speed off because he was shocked at what happened.

The two were detained at Thalang police station waiting for a handover to police in Krabi to take action.

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