SATUN - All 21 foreign tourists and crew were brought safely to shore after a tour boat heading for Koh Rok caught fire and sank in the Andaman Sea on Monday afternoon.
Marine police landed the 18 tourists and three Thai crew at Pak Bara pier in tambon Pak Nam, Langu district of Satun province around 12.30am on Tuesday, after they were were rescued from the sea by a fishing trawler, Thai media reported.
The skipper of the Charan 3, Charoen Numee, 60, told police the tour boat left Lok Lipe pier around 2pm on Monday, taking the tourists to dive at Koh Rok.
On the way to the diving site, a fire began at the rear of the boat. Crew members tried unsuccessfully to put it out. The flames spread quickly, forcing all tourists and crew to abandon the vessel and jump into the sea.
Fortunately, the trawler Kor Niyomsin 19 was fishing in the area and rushed to help. All passengers and crew were hauled safely aboard.
They were later transferred to a Marine Police patrol boat near Koh Buron, which took them to Pak Para, where their long ordeal ended shortly after midnight when they were deposited safely ashore