27 tourists and 3 crew members rescued after boat capsizes off Pattaya
Twenty-seven foreign tourists were rescued from sea after their tourist boat capsized in Pattaya on Saturday evening.
The rescue team, Port Authority officials, and tourist police dispatched boats to assist foreign tourists who were stranded in the waters off Pattaya, approximately 3 nautical miles from the shore near Koh Larn.
The incident occurred at around 6pm when the boat capsized suddenly after encountering strong waves.
Rescuers brought the 27 Russian tourists, along with three crew members, ashore. The majority of them sustained injuries. Most of them showed signs of shock and distress due to the incident. They received preliminary medical treatment before five tourists were transferred to hospitals.
The boat captain recounted that in the morning, they had taken approximately 30 Russian tourists to Koh Larn for a party and water activities. In the evening, they began ferrying the passengers back to their hotel. However, after the boat had travelled some distance, they encountered strong sea waves which damaged the boat, resulting in the passengers fall into the sea.
The catamaran tour boat named "Sea Beach” was designed to accommodate approximately 40 passengers.
In the morning, the Port Authority had raised a red flag, warning small boats not to leave the Pattaya shore because of the rough sea.
The police took the boat captain and the owner for questioning and face legal proceedings.
Police said the tourists were lucky to escape without any loss of life. However, they emphasised the need to raise awareness, especially among tour boat operators, regarding the red flag warning. A red flag from the Port Authority effectively bars small boats from leaving the shore. They urged cooperation and compliance from business operators to ensure safety of tourists and property.
