Thai ferry accident kills 8

2005-03-06 11:35

Bangkok, Thailand - Rescue workers searched for victims on Sunday after a ferry carrying dozens of people sank in foul weather off southern Thailand, leaving at least eight dead and 12 missing, police said.

Seven passengers died when the boat capsized on Saturday en route from the resort island of Phuket to Yao island, said police chief Col. Veerasilp Khwangcheng. A girl, hospitalised with injuries from the accident, died overnight at a Phuket hospital.

The fate of at least 12 passengers was unknown, said Lt Col. Montree Srilamontri. Rescuers were working to raise the sunken boat, which was overloaded with at least 63 passengers. Its capacity was 30, he said.

There were conflicting reports of the numbers of dead and injured.

Forty-three passengers have reported to authorities, 35 of them with injuries. The passengers were all villagers from the area.

News reports said on Saturday that 70 people were aboard the vessel, and that 10 had died.

A Yao Hospital official said on condition of anonymity that the victims included four children, and that 49 people were injured in the accident, which occurred about two kilometres off Yao island.

Thai marines, navy patrol boats and fishing trawlers were forced to halt a search operation late on Saturday because of rough seas and darkness.

The provinces of Phuket and nearby Phang Nga are still recovering from the December 26 Asian tsunami, which devastated coastal areas and left more than 5 000 people dead in Thailand.

- AP