Dive boat sinks off of Phuket Thailand

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MoonWrasse

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This just happened Monday morning off of Richelieu Rock (near the Similan Islands, west of Phuket Thailand).

"ANDAMAN SEA: Six passengers and seven crew spent around seven hours in the water yesterday morning waiting to be rescued after their liveaboard dive boat sank, apparently without warning and in just six minutes, close to the Surin Islands.

The MY Rhapsody, operated by Kata-based Oceanic Divecenter, was anchored 300 meters from the popular Richelieu Rock just after midnight yesterday morning when some of those on board heard a bang.

Within six minutes, the boat had sunk. The captain managed to send a mayday message and release an EPIRB (emergency position indicating radiobeacon), as crew and passengers grabbed lifejackets and signalling equipment and jumped overboard.

The group, none of whom was injured, used torches and other signalling equipment to try to attract the attention of two other dive boats, which arrived about 45 minutes after the sinking, but without success. They also were unable to alert passing fishing boats until, at 8:15 am, they were finally spotted and rescued.

The 25-meter Rhapsody was three days into a four-day liveaboard trip.

Oceanic Divecenter Managing Director Mona Fristedt told the Gazette today the cause of the sinking was still a mystery. She said, “The boat wasn’t hit, there were no problems whatsoever before this happened … the sea was calm, there was no wind, there were no other boats around.”

Ms Fristedt, who has run Oceanic Divecenter since 2001, said it may become clearer what happened once insurance investigators have examined the boat. “It’s lying pretty deep, about 40 metres, but we’re going to have a look and the insurance company will look too, to see if it’s salvageable,” she said.

Ms Fristedt said she was reluctant to comment further because of the impending insurance investigation. However, in an email released within the dive community she wrote, “This is a boat operator’s worst nightmare. I have to admire our guests for being so calm under such circumstances and, of course, our wonderful Thai crew, as well as the diving staff.”"

http://www.phuketgazette.net/news/index.asp?id=4218
 
Happy to hear that nobody was hurt. After the insurance investigation, perhaps we’ll have a new divesite right next door to Richelieu?
 
Three weeks ago I read an email that described another very harrowing story dealing with the Wanderlust. Passengers abandoning the ship. Calling the office on the cell phone to say they are on a dinghy with a GPS and need to have a SOS relayed - which did not happen. Finally rescued by another dive boat. Pays to do a bit of research.
 
That's too bad. It was a nice boat with an excellent staff, and the only one carrying a limited set of passengers. Well, at least I got a trip on it before this incident. Glad to hear all were safe, even though they were in the water for a long time ...

My theory: their generator exploded -- that's the only thing left on at night that could cause enough damage to sink the boat so quickly.
 
simonk999:
My theory: their generator explodedQUOTE]

Thus far, the reason is unknown. The staff of the Rhapsody and representatives of their insurance company have been diving on the boat, but they said they could not find a hole. Dive gear and some personal effects were recovered by them and also by divers from another boat. A mystery. The last boat to sink was about 4 years ago - but this was due to heavy weather - the Atlantis X probably should not have gone out. Rhapsody sank at anchor and in calm seas, and we have never heard of any problem on the boat before. It was always professionally run and it's quite a loss, it was one of our favorites.
 
Ok, so much for my theory. Definitely mysterious how it could sink so quickly without some sort of major problem with the structure. I guess we'll have to wait and see ... Sunrise, since you're there, please post if something comes up (i.e. maybe months from now).

Indeed quite a loss. I very much enjoyed my trip on it. I hope it gets replaced with a similar boat, or perhaps salvaged and refurbished, because it was unique in its passenger load.
 
Wow,

I've been away for a couple of days from Phuket, and than this happens. You can never leave those boat operators alone.

Still a pity, because the ship was good as was the crew. And that is something that can not be said from the Atlantis, where the maintenance was way behind schedule. So Sunrise is correct, the Atlantis should not have gone out in that weather, but that they should not have gone out in anything over wind force 3.

Regarding the King Cruiser, there were quite some other things that made that sinking circumspect, but that can not be said from the Rhapsody.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

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