All news

Captain of sunken ferryboat in Thailand put on wanted list - police

According to the third Thai television channel, the maritime department of the kingdom launched its own investigation
EPA/STR
EPA/STR

BANGKOK, November 4 (Itar-Tass) - The captain of a passenger ferryboat that sank in Thailand, Southeast Asia, on Sunday is put on the wanted list. The court issued an arrest warrant against him, the police department in Chonburi Province, where the tragedy occurred, reported on Monday.

According to the third Thai television channel, the maritime department of the kingdom launched its own investigation. According to preliminary reports, the sunken ferryboat was overcrowded and was not provided with the requirement number of life vests. Fifteen minutes after departure from Koh Larn Island, which is situated eight kilometres from the sea resort Pattaya, the ferryboat stopped and the water started flowing in the lower part of the two-deck ship, the National News Bureau of Thailand reported. The water pump failed. The captain asked the passengers to go up on the deck. As a result the ferryboat, which was trafficking more than 200 people, lost balance and capsized. According to available reports, more than 200 people were saved from the water. The rescuers also found six people dead at the wreck site. Ten people are still reported missing. The state-run news agency MCOT reported about 20 missing people.

Consul of the Russian Embassy Andrei Dvornikov has earlier confirmed the death of seven people, three of them are Russians, namely a woman and two men. According to the Russian diplomatic mission, about half of passengers from the sunken ferryboat are most likely the Russians either.