Freak Storm Sinks Liveaboard off Phuket

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scott11

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phuket news: Seven still missing after freak storm sinks boat near Phuket, Briti...

PHUKET: Following the sinking of a boat last night that was carrying tourists returning to Phuket from a diving trip near the Similan islands, six foreign tourists and one Thai member of the boatÃÔ crew are still missing.

Police have issued the following list of seven people who were on the boat but remain unaccounted for:

German national Ms Jetzinger Gabrielle;

Japanese national Mr Yuba Hirotsuga;

Austrians Mr Klaus Konradder and Ms Monika Schuster;

Swiss natives Ms Sibylle Bucher and Mr Rolf Niederberge;

Thai national Ms Jumpa Ũen Sorntat the boatÃÔ cook.

According to the boatÃÔ captain, Mr Chakri Leechuay, a vortex of ÅÓed wind approached the boat at speed from the North (between land and the boat) and hit the boat on its port side at 11pm. The wind made the boat spin violently, eventually causing it to sink, he said.

Mr Chakri said that weather conditions were calm before the incident. The vortex first appeared on the boatÃÔ radar screen at a distance of three nautical miles but reached the boat just ten minutes later.

Local fishermen helped Marine Police pick up 23 survivors, who were found floating adrift in an inflatable life raft near the site of the incident, at about 2am today. The survivors were taken to the Deep Sea Port at Makham Bay.

The 29.9-meter-long boat, Choke Somboon 19, left Chalong Pier, Phuket, at 7 pm on March 4, bound for the Similan Islands. It was returning to Phuket after leaving the Similan Islands at 6.30pm yesterday (Sunday). It was traveling Southeast at a speed of between 8 and 9 knots and was about 12.6 nautical miles from Patong Beach when it was hit by the freak storm.

The survivors were met by staff from the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) who gave out blankets, water and food. The survivors told the Gazette that hey had not eaten since the sinking the night before.

The surviving tourists were questioned and photographed by the DDPM as they came ashore and will be questioned further at a later date. The survivors have been listed as:

Yuriko Kamada; Masayuki; Frank Bay; Kathrin Raab; Stefan Mann; Micheal Sampson; Markus Reitner; Kathrin Mayer; Reto Voegtlin; Nicole Anderegg; Stephan Garulms; Suzanne Schrewe; and Christian Diermaier.

Diving instructors who were also on the boat but have since been accounted for are Japanese national Toshihiro Sakai, Swiss national Daniel Brunner and Thai national Pairat Simma.

Thai crew also accounted for are Mr Manop Chantalhek; Mr Narin Woharn; Mr Detch Leechuay; Mr Thanaporn Roddee; Chakkaprat Senayotee; Ms Chirawan Wannakham.

Mr Chakri said that he had been working as a boat captain for Dive Asia, the tour company that had organized the trip, for about 20 years and that the boat was just six months old. He told the Gazette that he was aware of the possibility of bad weather during the return trip but was confident that the boat was large enough and new enough to withstand an average storm, adding that he has never experienced such freak weather conditions.

A Royal Thai Navy boat and helicopter have also been assisting in the search for survivors since this morning but have been unsuccessful in locating anyone.

A Dive Asia employee told police that the dive companyÃÔ insurance policy covers each of the passengers up to 200,000 baht for medical expenses and the same amount in the event of death.

Dive Asia is located at 24 Karon Road, Karon District, Phuket. Tel: (66) 076-330598.
 
Wow, sorry to see that. I took a trip to the Similans in March of '95, I think, and we caught weather that had our boat taking on water and listing 20º or more to starboard on the trip home. I wouldn't push the season like that again.
 
I've been diving Thailand on liveaboards for years and this is the first time I ever heard of a "red wind" "vortex" spinning a 30 meter liveaboard. Freak storm!

More information below
 
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scott11;4265932 A Dive Asia employee told police that the dive companyÃÔ insurance policy covers each of the passengers up to 200:
Thought Dive Asia were a western managed outfit? Euros 3700 is not a great deal of cover! :confused:
 
http://phuketwan.com/tourism/squall-tipped-boat-warning-survivors-tell/

Squall Tipped Boat Without Warning: Survivor
By Chutima Sidasathian and Shanya Phattrasaya

Monday, March 9, 2009
Phuketwan Updating Report, plus Photo Album
SURVIVORS from the sinking of MV Dive Asia 1 arrived back on Phuket this afternoon to tell their stories of the drama at sea.

Some of the 23 who were on board arrived wrapped in blue towels because the sudden squall that sank the boat gave no warning.

A search is going on this afternoon for six tourists and a Thai dive boat staffer, still missing after the boat was overturned off the Similan island in a savage storm about 11pm last night.

The seven missing are two Swiss, two Austrians, one Japanese, one German and the Thai dive cook.

Police named the missing as: Jetzinger Gabrielle, Germany; Yuba Hirotsuga, Japan; Klaus Konradder, Austria; Monika Schuster, Austria; Sibylle Bucher, Switzerland, Rolf Niederberge, Switzerland; Jumpa Sorntat, Thailand.

The captain of the MV Dive Asia 1 Chatree Leechoi, 45, told Phuketwan after he reached Phuket's deep sea port today: ''We were heading back to Phuket last night when a huge squall hit us.

''We had no warning, no time to prepare. Not even a chance to put on life jackets.''

All 23 were thrown into the water.

''We were 12 miles out to sea,'' the captain said. ''There were two small dinghies that most of us scrambled into.

''But it was pitch black and we really couldn't see much.''

The captain said he had been working in the dive industry for about 20 years. The boat was new and well-maintained.

Eight of the people on the boat were Dive Asia staff.

When the boat left the Similans about 10pm to return to Phuket, there was no rain, no wind, no waves, the captain said.

The survivors were plucked from the water by a fishing boat about 9am this morning, which means they had been in the water for about 10 hours.

About 2pm, a marine police boat intercepted the fishing boat and carried the survivors back to the deep sea port where they arrived about 4.05pm.

Captain Chatree Leechoi said that a night voyage back to the pier at Chalong, on Phuket's east coast, was normal at the conclusion of a dive trip.

Dive Asia PADI Course Director Jurgen Schenker was on the dock to greet survivors.

Three ambulances were there on standby, but the survivors were all led to a room for a debriefing by officials. Names were added to a list of survivors.

The Governor of Phuket, Dr Preecha Ruangjan, interrupted playing host to a Royal princess who was visiting the island today.

He ordered a helicopter search of the region where the boat was overturned.

The boat was spotted about 6.30 pm tonight, about 30 kilometres from Cape Promthep, Phuket's southernmost point.

Vice governor Smith Palawatvichai was waiting at the dock this afternoon for the survivors.

Updating List of survivors

Chatree Leechoi, Thailand (captain)

Yuriko Kamada, Japan (Banthai Beach Resort and Spa)

Masayuki Kamada, Japan (Banthai Beach Resort and Spa)

Frank Bay, Germany

Kathrin Raab, Germany

Dr Stefan Mann, Germany

Michael Sampson, Austria

Markus Reitner, Germany

Kathrin Mayer, Germany (Evason Six Senses Phuket)

Danuiel Brunner, Switzerland

Voegtlin Reto, Switzerland (Garden Home Kata)

Anderegg Nicole, Switzerland (Garden Home Kata)

Stefan Grulms, Germany (Hilton Arcadia)

Suzanne Schrewe, Germany (Hilton Arcadia)

Diermaier Christian, Germany (Palm Village Rawai)

Pairat Simma, Thailand (divemaster)

Manop Jintalek, Thailand (crew)

Narin Voharn, Thailand (crew)

Dej Lhee-Chuay, Thailand (crew)

Thanaporn Rosdee, Thailand (crew)

Jukeapat Senayothee, Thailand (crew)

Jiravan Van-Ngam, Thailand (crew)

Storm Sinks Similans Dive Boat: Seven Missing
Dive Boat Sinking A storm off the Similan islands sank a dive boat last night. The boat included Australians, Austrians, Germans, Swedes, Japanese and Thais. Seven are unaccounted for.
Storm Sinks Similans Dive Boat: Seven Missing


One Body Found: Divers Set to Search Sunken Boat - Phuket Wan

First Light Sees Search for Survivors Resume
By Chutima Sidasathian and Alan Morison

Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Phuketwan Updating Report

Update 10.20am
THE BODY of a Caucasian woman was recovered from the water, near the dive boat sinking site, at 7am. The recovery team is now transporting her back to Phuket, where she will be identified.

Dive Asia staff are now on site preparing to dive to the sunken boat this morning to search for survivors.


Some 20 officials including the Phuket Governor and representatives of the Marine Police, Tourism Authority of Thailand, Phuket Provincial Health Office and the Department of Disaster Prevention & Mitigation are holding an emergency meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall this morning.

Governor Preecha Ruangjan says he will lead the search and investigation into the dive boat sinking, and will join the rescue team today in searching the area by helicopter.

Ambassadors from Austria and Japan are both due to arrive to Phuket this morning, says a Dive Asia spokeswoman.

In a related case, one man is still missing after a longtail fishing boat sunk in a storm on 4.30pm March 8, says a Phuket Marine Police official.

Fishermen Jidtapon Taveeworaparsert and Sittichai Tanadpirom survived the sinking by swimming to Koh Bon.

A search is still underway for the missing man, Atakorn Jaiboon, by a second crew of Marine Police and Disaster Prevention rescue staff.

A scientist from the Meteorological Department, Phuket, told Phuketwan that the onset of the hot season typically brings these types of storms, with unpredictable and gusting winds that last only minutes before the rain starts.

The winds are not classified as a cyclone, but she said this type of storm can hit the water like a funnel, bringing narrow bands of swirling winds that can affect a small area.

The boat could have been in the wrong place at the wrong time and hit by one of these, she said.

***

AT 6am TODAY search vessels resumed the hunt for more possible survivors from a dive boat that sank off Phuket.

Seven people, six tourists and a dive company staff member, are still missing.

The MV Dive Asia 1 was hit by a savage squall on Sunday night that threw the 30 people on board into the water without warning.

The craft, relatively flat-bottomed and tall, was making a regular scheduled return trip to Phuket from a dive excursion to the Similan islands.

Police have named the missing as: Jetzinger Gabrielle, Austria*; Yuba Hirotsuga, Japan; Klaus Konradoer, Austria; Monika Schuster, Austria; Sibylle Bucher, Switzerland, Rolf Niederberge, Switzerland; Jumpa Sorntat, Thailand.

Twenty-three survivors returned to Phuket late yesterday afternoon. They were plucked from dinghies by a fishing boat after 10 hours in the water, then transferred to a marine police vessel three hours later.

The Governor of Phuket, Dr Preecha Ruangjan, was organising the search for the missing seven today.

It is possible that Navy divers may be sent down to investigate the vessel if it cannot be raised to the surface.

Vice Admiral Narong Tedvisan, of the Royal Thai Navy, said today that the alarm about the dive boat being overdue was not raised until 8.30am on Monday.

He wondered why so much time elapsed between the vessel leaving the Similans, around 10pm the previous night, and the alarm being sounded.

The MV Dive Asia 1 was struck by the storm around 11pm.

Officials are believed to be discussing raising the MV Dive Asia 1, which was located on the ocean bed off Phuket about 6.30pm last night.

It is feared that some of the people on the boat may have been asleep or deep inside the vessel when the squall struck.

Weather conditions at this time of year are normally mild but bursts of sudden rain and wind have a reputation on Phuket for causing intense pockets of damage.

Early reports said the boat was in 65 metres of water.

Jurgen Schenker of Dive Asia told Phuketwan today that he believed all 23 known survivors had returned to their holiday accommodation or homes.

Eight of those on board were Diva Asia staff.

''I understand four of the people who were rescued were due to fly out this morning,'' Mr Schenker said.

All of the survivors are in good condition and were treated for sunburns caused from their exposure to the sun in the open dinghies, he said.

The two dinghies, tied together, drifted a long way to the south for several hours before being found.

When lights were spotted in the distance during the night, flares were fired, Mr Schenker was told, but no boats came to the rescue.

He has been pleased by the response by rescue and health officials following the sinking, he said.

Phuket's dive industry has been suffering from the downturn in the global economy with numbers of divers considerably reduced from last high season.

Update: Dive boat survivors
Chatree Leechoi, Thailand (captain)
Yuriko Kamada, Japan (Banthai Beach Resort and Spa)
Masayuki Kamada, Japan (Banthai Beach Resort and Spa)
Frank Bay, Germany
Kathrin Raab, Germany
Dr Stefan Mann, Germany
Michael Sampson, Austria
Markus Reitner, Germany
Kathrin Mayer, Germany (Evason Six Senses Phuket)
Danuiel Brunner, Switzerland
Voegtlin Reto, Switzerland (Garden Home Kata)
Anderegg Nicole, Switzerland (Garden Home Kata)
Stefan Grulms, Germany (Hilton Arcadia)
Suzanne Schrewe, Germany (Hilton Arcadia)
Diermaier Christian, Germany (Palm Village Rawai)
Pairat Simma, Thailand (divemaster)
Manop Jintalek, Thailand (crew)
Narin Voharn, Thailand (crew)
Dej Lhee-Chuay, Thailand (crew)
Thanaporn Rosdee, Thailand (crew)
Jukeapat Senayothee, Thailand (crew)
Jiravan Van-Ngam, Thailand (crew)

*Correction: Ms Jetzinger is from Austria, not Germany as originally reported.
 
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Nightmare at Sea: How a Dive Boat Disappeared - Phuket Wan


Nightmare at Sea: How a Dive Boat Disappeared
By Alan Morison

Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Phuketwan Updating Report
JURGEN Schenker was at work today in the Dive Asia offices in Kata, not far from Dino Park.

One of the people with the most comprehensive view of the sinking of the MV Dive Asia 1, Jurgen had this to say to Phuketwan today:

''The storm picked up very quickly with immense force and capsised the boat. According to the people who survived, the boatr sank within a minute or two. People just managed to get out. It was really fast.


''One of the guys said he felt the boat was pushed to the right side by the wave then he said at the next moment another wave came, and turned the boat over.

''The life raft deployed so 23 people maanged to get into the life rafts and at the time of the mishaps there were something like one and a half to two metre waves and shortly after that they had very heavy rain and winds and it was completely black.

''Nothing to see . . . there are of course in the life rafts some flares and they put the flares up but nobody reckonise it as an emergency.

''They saw in the distance some boats' lights and perhaps they didn't see it or didn't think it was an emergency, that's the speculation.

''The two life rafts can each carry up to 20 persons. They tied the two liferafts together so they would not get separated. They drifted from somewhere west of Patong almost to Racha Noi [well south of Phuket].

''That's around 50-plus kilometres. They have been picked up by a fishing boat at around noon then we got contact by telephone around one or 1.30 and we heard from one of our divemasters there there were 23 people on the liferafts.

''That left seven unaccounted for. Then the marine police picked up the survivors and brought them to the deep sea port. They arrived around four, 4.30.

''A lot of people were present to offer relief in case they needed help. There were some minor injuries not worth mentioning.

''A few people got quite sunburned and they were treated with some special moisturising cream. They were all in remarkably good condition but you could see in their faces that they were pleased to escape but also terrified by the experience.

''We actually have been doing that trip for many years and the captain usually makes the trip as comfortable as possible and to sail as slow as possible.

''We have two captains on the boat so one can sleep while the other steers. So the boat arrives in the morning . . . we were on the pier a little bit before 8am and at first we were a bit confused.

''The captain from the boat called Dive Master told us he had been on radio with our captain nutil around nine, 9.30pm. One of our staff members here in the office was in contact with the cook at around 10pm.

''Since then, no contact. We informed the tHai navy and the marine police so they could start searching. We gave them all the information.

''It normally arrived between 2am and 4am.

''We did a few sea trials [with the MV Dive Asia 1] when the sea was quite choppy last year in September and also in the beginning of the season late October early November there are usually some waves.

''We were all very happy with the performance of the boat.

''We never had any concerns. It was launched on October 31 last year. The boat is equipped for 20 guests, four or five divemasters, and the crew itself is eight.

''So it's 32 or 33 if the boat is full. There were 11 staff members on the boat, including dive crew.

''We have cancelled every activity and we will see how it goes. We focus to take core of this situation. We hope to find some survivors.

''Maybe in a week or so then we will discuss how we continue. This is as well as being a tragedy for the people devastating for the business.

''Dive Asia has been operating here for 20 years. It was founded in Phuket.

''At moments like this, you just keep going. You do what you have to do. I don't know how many telephone calls and emails I have answered.

''I have tried to contact relatives and i have been in contact with various embassies, plenty of interviews on the phone and other things.

''For me, I think the shock will come a little bit later. Right now, we do what we have to do.

''The tsunami was similar but in the tsunami we were very lucky. We had no loss of customers or staff or equipment but of course we were contacted by hundreds of people then asking about relatives and about our staff.

''This is a different kind of disaster.

''I love the island and I've been here since 1995.

''My staff has focussed very hard on searching and helping. For me it's a privilege to have worked together with these people right now.

''I think this is the fortunate thing. That people grow together and become a unit. We are out with a few boats now in the area we believe the boat was struck by the storm and sunk.

''Some technical divers are standing by to go and check if we find some debris or oil on the surface but it's too early to say right now.

''The boat is not located. We are getting the special divers ready. These divers can go with the right equipment down to 100-plus metres.

''The first objective will be to locate the boat and look inside. We have contacted our insurance people and they have taken care of it right now.

''At this moment it's really not important what happens to us. Right now it's important what happens with the people who are still missing and the survivors. That's all that we care about right now.''
 
1. Dive Asia staff are now on site preparing to dive to the sunken boat this morning to search for survivors.

2. In a related case, one man is still missing after a longtail fishing boat sunk in a storm on 4.30pm March 8, says a Phuket Marine Police official.

Fishermen Jidtapon Taveeworaparsert and Sittichai Tanadpirom survived the sinking by swimming to Koh Bon.

1. Dive Asia staff doing the search & recovery :confused:

2. National park boundary to Koh Bon :confused: That is a long swim!
 
1. Dive Asia staff doing the search & recovery :confused:

2. National park boundary to Koh Bon :confused: That is a long swim!

I didn't make the news up. The links are there to the original news.

Apek's you do know the saying "***" (This Is Thailand)?

scott
 
I didn't make the news up. The links are there to the original news.

Apek's you do know the saying "***" (This Is Thailand)?

scott

Yeah I do - I was not trying to say you made it up, sorry if it came over that way.

There do seem to be lots of inaccuracies in the reports coming out, onE report had the boat sinking off Promthep Cape @ 10pm when it was not reported missing until 8am.

You could probably swim from Promthep Cape to Chalong Pier in that time, never mind travel by boat.:doh2:
 
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