SURAT THANI: The operation to salvage the sunken Raja 4 ferry that capsized off Koh Samui island on Aug 1 has been completed, governor Wichayut Jinto said on Sunday.
Raja 4 capsized in a heavy rainstorm between Koh 4 and Koh 5 islands, about two nautical miles from Koh Samui, en route for Don Sak pier on the mainland. It was carrying 16 people, a pick-up truck and three 10-wheel lorries laden with compressed garbage blocks and electronic waste. Twelve of the 16 people on board the ferry were rescued and four drowned.
Raja Ferry Plc hired MS Service Co to salvage the ferry. The company used two large crane vessels to lift the wreckage to the surface. The ferry was then set upright and the water inside pumped out.
The wreckage had been towed to the boat pier on Koh Samui island, said Mr Wichayut without mentioning the date. The Marine and Coastal Resources Department sent officials to monitor the salvage operation.
The three lorries, along with 70 blocks of compressed garbage, were brought back to the surface in an earlier operation from Sept 21 to 24. A further 20 blocks of garbage that broke away were retrieved without causing damage to marine or coastal resources in the area, the governor said.