PHUKET: Some 30 tourists were injured when a tour speedboat slammed into a safe channel marker in Chalong Bay late this afternoon (May 16).
Two of the people suffered serious injuries and eight more suffered ‘code yellow’ injuries, reported Phuket Info Center.
The injured were taken to separate hospitals, namely Chalong Hospital, Vachira Phuket Hospital, Phuket Provincial Hospital, Bangkok Hospital Phuket, Bangkok Hospital Siriroj, Dibuk Hospital and Mission Hospital Phuket.
Phuket Info Center urged motorists to facilitate rescue vehicles transporting the injured.
The boat was bringing tourists back from Phi Phi Island to Chalong Pier when it struck the safe channel marker, located some 700 metres from Chalong Pier, reported the Phuket Provincial Administration (PPAO).
PPAO President Rewat Areerob was present when the injured passengers were brought ashore at Chalong Pier, which the PPAO is responsible for operating.
There were 36 people on board when the accident happened.
Three were captain and crew. The remainder were Russian tourists, the PPAO reported.
