Rescue divers recovered five more bodies from the ocean off the Thai island of Phuket on Saturday, 48 hours after a ship capsized in rough waters, killing dozens of Chinese passengers. The latest findings bring the death toll to 48.
Many of the victims were found drifting within the sea, still wearing life jackets, several kilometers from where the Phoenix sank after being hit by five-meter-high storm waves.
It is considered one of the worst boat disasters in recent history in Thailand, a rustic with a poor health and safety record despite being heavily depending on tourism.
“Five bodies were found today and rescuers will proceed to ascertain the boat to see if there are any more bodies,” Phuket Governor Norraphat Plodthong said on Saturday.
The three-deck Phoenix was carrying 105 passengers, mostly Chinese tourists, when it sank on its way back from a preferred diving spot.
Rescuers recovered about 37 bodies from the water on Friday, and the Phuket provincial government said the island’s mortuary was full and Chinese authorities requested the acquisition of 40 more refrigeration units.
On Thursday, about 48 people were rescued – passengers and crew – and after spending an evening within the water, a Chinese woman was fished out of the stormy waters and brought to a hospital in Phuket.
On Friday, divers reported seeing “greater than 10 bodies” floating within the hull of a ship submerged 40 meters below the surface of the Andaman Sea.
Thai Navy Rear Admiral Charoenphon Khumrasee said hopes of finding many more people alive were dwindling.
“Of course we are going to proceed the search, but the possibilities of survival are low. We will wait until the bodies float up on their very own,” he said on Saturday.
China’s ambassador to Thailand, who traveled to Phuket, said Beijing had sent two search and rescue teams to assist Thai authorities.
“We want to search out the missing people as quickly as possible, provide assistance to the injured and members of the family of the injured, and help them prepare for the following stage,” he said.
The Phoenix was considered one of several boats that appeared to have ignored a warning effective Wednesday against taking tourists on day trips to islands that stretch out into the seas off Phuket, which attracts tourists.
It sank during difficult weather conditions a couple of kilometers off the coast of Koh He, an islet known for its coral formations.
Several other ships bumped into trouble late Thursday, but all passengers were rescued.
Thailand is already in the worldwide highlight for a dramatic rescue mission within the north of the country after 12 boys and their soccer coach were trapped in a cave complex.
Tourism is a key growth factor for Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy, contributing 12 percent of gross domestic product, with most foreign visitors coming from China. Last yr, 9.8 million Chinese tourists visited Thailand, with 5 million more arriving between January and May this yr.
On Saturday, China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism called on Thai tourism authorities to make tourists aware of travel risks, including weather conditions.
Additional reporting by Reuters
