One dead, 4 missing as boat sinks in Uttaradit

[snoop1130]

One dead, 4 missing as boat sinks in Uttaradit

 

 

Officers at Thapla police station were alerted on Monday (January 20) to a passenger boat sinking at the Queen Sirikit Dam in Phaleud subdistrict, Thapla district of Uttaradit province.

 

At the scene, police found a sunken boat which was carrying passengers and agricultural produce from Nangphaya subdistrict to a pier 2 km away. The vessel, reportedly with 10 passengers and the helmsman on board, hit a protruding stump near the centre of reservoir. Water level at the reservoir has receded due to drought.

 

Six passengers were rescued while four others were still missing, including the helmsman, Prarian Aphiya (52), who was also the boat owner. Another passenger, Sunittra Noikhan (35), died in the accident.

 

Dozens of rescue volunteers and divers are still searching for the missing persons.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30380829

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-01-20

Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking Thailand news and visa info

[hotchilli]

Tragic accident due to lack of attention to duty.

RIP

[ratcatcher]

Unfortunately we are not told what type of boat was involved, but with 11 on board, it surely cannot have been similar to the narrow boats in the photo. These boats are common in Thai rivers and lakes. Obviously few if any were wearing any sort of flotation device  (Yes, I know TIT) Sad for the families of those drowned. I hope the low water level will make body recovery easier.

[Dumbastheycome]

It would  be easy to say "incompetence" if the alleged  stump was actually protruding from the waters surface. But if slightly invisibly submerged is another cause  for kinder interpretation given the  helmsman is also one of those  missing.

Even on the wide  blue seas of the world it is  not so uncommon for small boats to sink after hitting  containers that float  just below the surface and unceremoniously rip the guts out it resulting in  almost  instantaneous sinking. Incompetence?

In this instance a meter either way possibly  many times  passing  already went without  incident  or awareness.

Hopefully somebody  marks the  hazard  with a  buoy!