A group traveling by speedboat from Koh Chang had to be rescued after the boat hit rocks causing it to take on water and sink. The seven people on board the speedboat, including the skipper, floated in the Gulf of Thailand off Koh Lim in Trat for around two hours. The group had traveled from the mainland to Koh Chang to visit relatives. An elderly woman had to be taken to hospital on a stretcher due to extreme exhaustion. Others were also sent to hospital.
The Thai Marine Police command center received a call around 4 p.m. A rescue team and those from the local fishing boats spent nearly two hours searching for the speedboat. An 80-year-old woman who appeared extremely tired was immediately picked up by a local fishing boat and rushed to hospital. The others were picked up by a rescue team speedboat.
The 62-year-old skipper told Thai media he had been hired by a group who wanted to travel to Koh Chang to visit loved ones. At around 4 p.m., while returning from the island, the boat struck some rocks and cracked. All passengers wore life jackets and took care of each other, especially the elderly woman, as they floated, keeping an eye out for the rescue team. A man says he will never forget this accident.
SOURCE: MECC | khaosod | Process online
