British woman missing after boat fire in Thailand

Telegraph

16-03-2025

A British tourist is missing after a fire broke out on a diving boat off the island of Koh Tao in Thailand.
Alexandra Clarke, 26, a backpacker from London, was reportedly in the bathroom at the back of the boat when a blaze ignited from the engine of the wooden vessel at 9.15am local time on Sunday.
There were 22 people aboard the boat, named Davy Jones Locker, 16 of whom were tourists, according to officials.
Fifteen tourists were evacuated to another boat, along with two crew members and four diving instructors and assistants.
Photos from the scene show large plumes of smoke billowing across the sky, as neighbouring boats watch on. After the fire was extinguished, the authorities conducted a thorough search and discovered one person was missing.
The boat was reportedly transporting tourists from Koh Tao to a diving site at Southwest Pinnacle, and the exact cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Capt Natthaphon Sinpoonphon, the deputy director of the Thai Maritime Enforcement Command Center of Surat Thani, said: 'The boat was carrying a group of tourists for a diving excursion from Koh Tao. It was between five and six nautical miles away from the island.
'A fire started in the engine room and spread through the boat rapidly.
'Thai-MECC Surat Thani coordinated with private vessels and volunteers to safely evacuate the tourists and crew members onto another boat.
'Meanwhile, another team of volunteers worked to control the fire. Preliminary reports indicate that the engine room, captain's cabin and rear restroom were damaged. The exact cause of the fire remains under investigation.'
Lt Col Nattapol Sinpunphol, the deputy director of the Surat Thani Marine Department, said: 'The search is continuing for one missing tourist, a female, Alexandra Clarke, from the United Kingdom.
'The conditions at sea are dangerous with the wind and currents. All boats in the area have been notified. Search and rescue teams were immediately mobilised.'
A spokesman for the Foreign Office told The Telegraph: 'We are supporting the family of a British woman who is missing in Thailand and are in contact with local authorities.'
Koh Tao, a popular scuba diving destination, has been branded Death Island in recent years following a number of murders and disappearances.
In 2014, the bodies of Hannah Witheridge, 23, and David Miller, 24, two British backpackers, were found on Sairee Beach in the early hours of Sept 15.
Doubt still lingers on the conviction of two migrant Burmese workers, U Zaw Lin and U Win Zaw Htun, for their murder, after a stumbling police investigation and speculation of a cover-up to protect a prominent local family.
There have been at least 16 known cases of unexplained or suspicious tourists deaths on the island since 2014, but the number is thought to be a lot higher.
Last year, the body of Theo Bailey, another British backpacker, was found in a shallow ditch on April 12 after he went missing on a night out with his girlfriend.