A tourist-packed speedboat collided head-on with a fishing trawler off the Phi Phi Islands in southern Thailand, resulting in a tragic incident. The vessel, Korawich Marine 888, was carrying 55 passengers when the crash occurred on a Sunday morning. Despite rescue efforts, an 18-year-old Russian tourist named Elizaveta S lost her life.
Reports indicate that around a dozen individuals sustained injuries in the collision. One person was initially in critical condition and was rushed to Phi Phi Hospital, while others received medical attention from paramedics before being transferred to hospitals in Phuket for further assessment.
The accident unfolded near Koh Gai Island, close to the Phi Phi Islands, in the waters between Phuket and Krabi. The speedboat suffered severe damage, causing it to capsize and sink in the Andaman Sea after its bow was torn off upon impact. Fortunately, the fishing trawler, Pichai Samut 1, emerged unscathed, with no environmental repercussions like oil spills reported.
The Russian Consulate General in Phuket confirmed the fatality of a young Russian woman and is in the process of gathering information on other victims. Authorities are actively investigating the causes of the collision, focusing on factors such as speed, visibility, and navigation protocols at the time of the incident. Despite occurring in Krabi Province waters, rescue and medical teams from Phuket swiftly responded due to their proximity and readiness.
While the nationalities of all passengers have not been officially disclosed, it is known that there were Russian-speaking tourists among those on board. The southern Andaman coast of Thailand is a popular tourist boating region, especially during the winter peak season, with numerous speedboats ferrying passengers daily between Phuket, Krabi, and the Phi Phi Islands.