20240404 Ferry to Koh Tao catches fire, all passengers rescued
Thailand Apr 04 2024 “Shipboard”
Dead : dead 0 or unknown Burnout : 0 or unknown Injured : injured 0 or unknown
Ferry to Koh Tao catches fire, all passengers rescued
Updated: 2024-04-04
A night ferry “Ko Jaroen 2” to Koh Tao in Surat Thani catches fire on Thursday morning. All passengers and crew are safely rescued. (Photo: Disaster and Mitigation Special Unit Facebook)
A night ferry carrying almost 100 Thai and foreign passengers caught fire off Koh Tao in Surat Thani on Thursday morning. All passengers and crew were rescued, and no injuries were reported.
The fire broke out on Ko Jaroen 2 ferry, which operates on the Surat Thani- Koh Tao route, about two to three nautical miles off the island in Koh Phangan district, said Pol Col Chokchai Sutthimek, chief of Koh Tao police station. The incident was reported around 7am.
The sleeper boat, carrying 97 passengers, 11 crew members and goods, left Surat Thani about 11pm on Wednesday en route to Koh Tao. As the vessel approached Koh Tao pier, a fire broke out in the engine room.
Marine Department chief Kritphet Chaichuai said officials were notified of the fire at 6.40am when the ferry was about 2 nautical miles off the shore near Chalok Ban Kao bay in tambon Koh Tao.
Boats from Koh Tao were dispatched to assist passengers and crew, all of whom were safely rescued. The fire was brought under control by 8.20am.
Mr Kritphet said the fire-gutted boat reportedly carried 90 passengers and eight crew members, although police claimed there were 97 passengers and 11 crew members.
A fact-finding panel was set up to investigate the incident, said the department chief.
Web Source The Bangkok Post