Storm Sinks Similans Dive Boat: Seven Missing

Urgent Updating Report

SEVEN PEOPLE are reported missing after a dive boat sank in a storm off the Andaman coast last night.

The boat contained 31 people, the Royal Navy told Phuketwan.

Tearful survivors arrived back at the deep sea port on Phuket this afternoon on board a police boat after being rescued by a fishing trawler.

The captain of the sunken vessel, the MV Dive Asia 1, Preecha Sealee, 45, told Phuketwan that his boat had been overturned by one big wave off the Similan islands.

A dive company spokesperson said there were Germans, Austrians, Australians, Swiss, Swedes, Japanese and Thais on board.

This afternoon a Marine Police officer told Phuketwan that seven people were missing: two Swiss, two Austrians, one Thai, one German, one Japanese.

The Governor of Phuket, Dr Preecha Ruangjan, interrupted hosting a visit by a Royal princess today to order a helicopter search of the area in which the seven people are missing.

The Navy said they were contacted by the diving company at 8.30am today, when a search began.

The boat was named by the Navy as the MV Dive Asia 1.

A spokesperson for Dive Asia said today: ''I really can't tell you anything because we don't know anything.

The last we heard was at 10pm last night from the boat when everything was ok.''

The spokesperson was on his way to the deep sea port on Phuket to greet survivors.

The Similan islands made news earlier this year when tourists told of encountering Royal Navy officers holding Rohingya boat people under arrest on a beach there.

Andaman coast weather is normally quite calm at this time of year but the sudden squalls around Phuket are savage.

A storm that came out of nowhere drove One-Two-Go holiday flight 269 into the ground at Phuket airport in 2007, killing 90 of 130 people on board.

An email to Phuketwan this afternoon said: ''Dear All,

''With great sadness we have to inform you that our MV Dive Asia 1 sunk last night the 8th of March at around 11pm on the way back from Similan to Phuket.

''To our knowledge most of our guest and crew were able to get into the life raft and where picked up by a fishing boat around noon.

''Right now this people are being transferred to a Thai Police Vessel and are on the way to shore and should arrive soon.

''Six people are still missing and a search in the area is underway. Your support is greatly appreciated.

''At this moment we do not know the reason for the accident and we will keep you posted.

''Best Regards,
''Benno and Juergen''

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