Latest news with #SuratThaniProvincialMarineOffice
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Yahoo
British tourist missing after Thailand boat fire
A British tourist is missing in Thailand after a boat caught fire and sank off the coast of the island of Koh Tao. The Surat Thani Provincial Public Relations Office said 26-year-old Alexandra Clarke from Lambeth, south London, was on board when the fire occurred in the ship's engine room after 09:00 ITC (02:00 GMT) on Sunday. Koh Tao Police said it believed the boat's fuel tank overflowed when it was refilled during the journey, then set alight. Officers have charged the captain and crew with negligence. A Foreign Office spokesperson said: "We are supporting the family of a British woman who is missing in Thailand and are in contact with local authorities." The provincial office's Facebook post said: "After receiving the report (of the fire), the Surat Thani Provincial Marine Office coordinated with private boats and volunteers to quickly help evacuate tourists and crew to another boat safely." It added: "One tourist is missing, a female named Alexandra Clarke, a British national. "The authorities therefore organised a search team for the missing person." Thai navy divers spent the day searching the wreckage of the boat and the surrounding seas but found no trace of the missing woman, who police said was thought to have been in the boat's toilet when the fire broke out. The cause of the blaze is under investigation but according to police, it broke out when an engine used to compress air into a fuel tank ran out during a trip to a popular dive spot in the Gulf of Thailand. Col Sarayuth Buriwachira from Koh Tao Police said the tourists and diving instructors had been taken to the Southwest Pinnacle at about 07:30. He said that at about 10:00 "an employee on the ship whose duty was to fill the air tank took extra gasoline to fill the engine tank above the amount until the gasoline overflowed and spilled". "When he started the engine, a spark occurred, causing the engine to catch fire and spread, causing the entire ship to burn and eventually sink into the sea." The fire spread quickly, he added, engulfing the engine room and forcing the divers, instructors and crew to jump into the sea. He confirmed the search for Ms Clarke would resume on Tuesday morning. The Thai government has frequently promised to improve maritime safety, in particular after 46 Chinese tourists died seven years ago when their boat capsized near Phuket, yet there have been several fatal accidents since then. Last year more than 100 passengers had to leap into the sea from a ferry heading to Koh Tao after it was consumed by a fire. Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to Foreign & Commonwealth Office
Saudi Gazette
17-03-2025
- Saudi Gazette
British tourist missing after Thailand boat fire
BANGKOK — A British tourist has been reported missing in Thailand after a boat caught fire off the coast of the island of Koh Tao. The Surat Thani Provincial Public Relations Office said 26-year-old Alexandra Clarke from Lambeth, south London, was the only tourist missing after the incident. In a Facebook post local officials said they believed 16 tourists were on the diving boat, called the Davy Jones Locker, when a blaze broke out in the ship's engine room after 09:00 ITC (02:00 GMT) on Sunday. A spokesperson for the Foreign Office said: "We are supporting the family of a British woman who is missing in Thailand and are in contact with local authorities." Four crew members, two diving instructors and two assistant diving instructors were also on board, according to local authorities. The provincial office's Facebook post said: "After receiving the report (of the fire), the Surat Thani Provincial Marine Office coordinated with private boats and volunteers to quickly help evacuate tourists and crew to another boat safely." It added: "One tourist is missing, a female named Alexandra Clarke, a British national. "The authorities therefore organized a search team for the missing person." The cause of the blaze is under investigation. — BBC
BBC News
17-03-2025
- BBC News
Thailand boat fire: British tourist missing after Koh Tao blaze
A British tourist has been reported missing in Thailand after a boat caught fire off the coast of the island of Koh Surat Thani Provincial Public Relations Office said 26-year-old Alexandra Clarke from Lambeth, south London, was the only tourist missing after the a Facebook post local officials said they believed 16 tourists were on the diving boat, called the Davy Jones Locker, when a blaze broke out in the ship's engine room after 09:00 ITC (02:00 GMT) on Sunday.A spokesperson for the Foreign Office said: "We are supporting the family of a British woman who is missing in Thailand and are in contact with local authorities." Four crew members, two diving instructors and two assistant diving instructors were also on board, according to local provincial office's Facebook post said: "After receiving the report (of the fire), the Surat Thani Provincial Marine Office coordinated with private boats and volunteers to quickly help evacuate tourists and crew to another boat safely."It added: "One tourist is missing, a female named Alexandra Clarke, a British national."The authorities therefore organised a search team for the missing person."The cause of the blaze is under investigation.
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Yahoo
British woman missing in Thailand after fire breaks out on diving boat
A British woman is missing in Thailand after a diving boat she was on caught fire, officials have said. The vessel was off the coast of the island of Koh Tao when a fire broke out in the engine room after 9am local time on Sunday, according to a Facebook post from the Surat Thani Provincial Public Relations Office. The boat was reportedly carrying 22 people: 16 tourists, two crew members, two diving instructors and two assistant diving instructors. Alexandra Clarke, a British national, has been named as the one passenger on board the Davy Jones Locke who is still missing. "The authorities therefore organised a search team for the missing person," the social media post reads. "After receiving the report (of the fire), the Surat Thani Provincial Marine Office coordinated with private boats and volunteers to quickly help evacuate tourists and crew to another boat safely." The UK Foreign Office said in a statement: "We are supporting the family of a British woman who is missing in Thailand and are in contact with local authorities." The cause of the fire is being investigated.
Sky News
17-03-2025
- Sky News
British woman missing in Thailand after fire breaks out on diving boat
A British woman is missing in Thailand after a diving boat she was on caught fire, officials have said. The vessel was off the coast of the island of Koh Tao when a fire broke out in the engine room after 9am local time on Sunday, according to a Facebook post from the Surat Thani Provincial Public Relations Office. The boat was reportedly carrying 22 people: 16 tourists, two crew members, two diving instructors and two assistant diving instructors. Alexandra Clarke, a British national, has been named as the one passenger on board the Davy Jones Locke who is still missing. "The authorities therefore organised a search team for the missing person," the social media post reads. "After receiving the report (of the fire), the Surat Thani Provincial Marine Office coordinated with private boats and volunteers to quickly help evacuate tourists and crew to another boat safely." The UK Foreign Office said in a statement: "We are supporting the family of a British woman who is missing in Thailand and are in contact with local authorities." The cause of the fire is being investigated.
