Latest news with #ThaiMaritimeEnforcementCommandCenter
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Yahoo
Fears grow for British tourist missing after boat caught fire in Thailand
A British backpacker is still missing after a fire ripped through a diving boat and sank off the island of Koh Tao in Thailand. Alexandra Clarke, 26, from London, was diving in the tourist hotspot and had asked guides if she could use the toilet before the blaze broke out on board the boat, named Davy Jones Locker, at 9.15am local time on Sunday. There were 22 people on board including 16 tourists participating in diving activities, four diving instructors, a boat captain and a crew member. All others on board were accounted for. The boat driver, a Myanmar crew member, and six tourists who witnessed the fire reported to police that Ms Clarke had requested to surface from the water and entered the toilet facilities on the boat. At the time the fire broke out, she was reportedly still in the toilet. The cause of the fire was related to a malfunction which occurred while the diving tanks were being filled with compressed air, according to reports. Captain Natthaphon Sinpoonphon, Deputy Director of the Thai Maritime Enforcement Command Center of Surat Thani, said the blaze started around 9am local time. An emergency call was received shortly after. He 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." Weather conditions and the strength of the blaze initially made it difficult for rescue teams to get near the boat, but it has now been towed to shore. Koh Tao is a popular hub for divers and tourists thanks to its reefs and beaches. The boat was operating in an area known as Kong Tum Ku, 5-6 nautical miles from Koh Tao. When the vessel was first evacuated, it was thought that the fire could be controlled and it could be towed safely back to Ko Tao. But it suddenly sank, according to the Thai Examiner. An FCDO spokesperson said: 'We are supporting the family of a British woman who is missing in Thailand and are in contact with local authorities.'
The Independent
17-03-2025
- The Independent
Fears grow for British tourist missing after boat caught fire in Thailand
A British backpacker is still missing after a fire ripped through a diving boat and sank off the island of Koh Tao in Thailand. Alexandra Clarke, 26, from London, was diving in the tourist hotspot and had asked guides if she could use the toilet before the blaze broke out on board the boat, named Davy Jones Locker, at 9.15am local time on Sunday. There were 22 people on board including 16 tourists participating in diving activities, four diving instructors, a boat captain and a crew member. All others on board were accounted for. The boat driver, a Myanmar crew member, and six tourists who witnessed the fire reported to police that Ms Clarke had requested to surface from the water and entered the toilet facilities on the boat. At the time the fire broke out, she was reportedly still in the toilet. The cause of the fire was related to a malfunction which occurred while the diving tanks were being filled with compressed air, according to reports. Captain Natthaphon Sinpoonphon, Deputy Director of the Thai Maritime Enforcement Command Center of Surat Thani, said the blaze started around 9am local time. An emergency call was received shortly after. He 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." Weather conditions and the strength of the blaze initially made it difficult for rescue teams to get near the boat, but it has now been towed to shore. Koh Tao is a popular hub for divers and tourists thanks to its reefs and beaches. The boat was operating in an area known as Kong Tum Ku, 5-6 nautical miles from Koh Tao. When the vessel was first evacuated, it was thought that the fire could be controlled and it could be towed safely back to Ko Tao. But it suddenly sank, according to the Thai Examiner. An FCDO spokesperson said: 'We are supporting the family of a British woman who is missing in Thailand and are in contact with local authorities.'
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Yahoo
British woman missing after fire on boat in Thailand
A British tourist is missing after a fire ripped through a diving boat off the island of Koh Tao in Thailand. Alexandra Clarke, 26, from London, was reportedly in the bathroom at the back of the boat when the blaze started at 9.15am local time on Sunday. There were 22 people on board the boat, named Davy Jones Locker, including 16 tourists participating in diving activities, four diving instructors, a boat captain and a crew member. All others on board were accounted for. It has been reported that the cause of the fire was related to a malfunction, which occurred while the diving tanks were being filled with compressed air. Captain Natthaphon Sinpoonphon, Deputy Director of the Thai Maritime Enforcement Command Center of Surat Thani, said the blaze started around 9am local time. An emergency call was received shortly after. He 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." Weather conditions and the strength of the blaze initially made it difficult for rescue teams to get near the boat, but it has now been towed to shore. An FCDO spokesperson said:'We are supporting the family of a British woman who is missing in Thailand and are in contact with local authorities.'
The Independent
16-03-2025
- The Independent
British tourist goes missing after fire on diving boat in Thailand
A British backpacker is missing after a fire ripped through a diving boat off the island of Koh Tao in Thailand. The tourist, who has been reported to be a 26-year-old woman from Lambeth, was reportedly in the toilet when a blaze started from the engine of the wooden vessel on Sunday morning. According to officials, the boat was carrying 22 people, including 16 tourists participating in diving activities, four diving instructors, a boat captain and a crew member. Aside from the British tourist, all were rescued by passing boats but it is believed she had become trapped in the rear bathroom. It has been reported that the cause of the fire was related to a malfunction, which occurred while the diving tanks were being filled with compressed air. Captain Natthaphon Sinpoonphon, Deputy Director of the Thai Maritime Enforcement Command Center of Surat Thani, said the blaze started at around 9am local time. An emergency call was received shortly after. He 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." Weather conditions and the strength of the blaze initially made it difficult for rescue teams to get near the boat, but it has now been towed to shore. An FCDO spokesperson said:'We are supporting the family of a British woman who is missing in Thailand and are in contact with local authorities.'
The Guardian
16-03-2025
- The Guardian
British tourist missing after diving boat catches fire off Thai island
A British tourist is missing in Thailand after the tour boat she was travelling on caught fire off the island of Koh Tao. Alexandra Clarke, 26, from Lambeth, south London, was onboard the Davy Jones Locker for a diving excursion. She was reportedly in the bathroom when the blaze broke out, just before a distress signal was sent at 9.25am local time. There were 21 other people onboard, including 15 tourists, two crew members and four diving instructors and assistants. They were safely evacuated by private vessels and volunteers while a second team of volunteers worked to put out the blaze. Thai authorities then discovered Clarke was missing. Capt Natthaphon Sinpoonphon, the deputy director of the Thai Maritime Enforcement Command Center of Surat Thani, said the boat was between five and six nautical miles away from the island when a fire started in the engine room and 'spread through the boat rapidly'. He said: 'Preliminary reports indicate that the engine room, captain's cabin and rear restroom were damaged. The exact cause of the fire remains under investigation.' It is understood rescue teams were initially unable to get close to the boat because of the flames, as there were fears of further explosions from fuel onboard the vessel. Sinpunphol 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 spokesperson for the Foreign Office told the Guardian: 'We are supporting the family of a British woman who is missing in Thailand and are in contact with local authorities.' A video shared on social media showed the boat engulfed in flames. The Davy Jones Locker was reportedly transporting tourists from Koh Tao, a small 21km² island that forms part of the Chumphon Archipelago on the western shore of the Gulf of Thailand, to a nearby diving site at Southwest Pinnacle. According to Padi, the Professional Association of Diving Instructors, the waters around the island provide 'stable conditions' to appreciate rock and coral formations, as well as titan triggerfish, sea snake, hawksbill and green turtles. Whale sharks, which eat small plankton and are not aggressive to humans, may also cruise into the deeper pinnacles.
