Five people that have been reported missing from the boat that sank in a storm off Phuket island, Thailand, are alive, Thai authorities informed on Monday. However it is not clarified whether the five survived the sinking are did not get on board the ship from the start.
Thai authorities are now trying to verify the persons’ details, while some of them may have left Thailand. Moreover, according to new information there were 89 tourists on the boat, instead of 93.
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Currently, 10 are still missing, including the five who are alive, while 42 have died. In addition, from the beginning of the week, Thai Navy is trying to flip the boat in order to check for other victims and retrieve a body.
The Captain of the boat will be charged for ‘careless conduct leading to death’, which could end up in more than three years in jail. Furthermore, the captain of another boat that capsized on the same day and the manager of a travel agency that chartered the boat are facing charges for being careless leading to injuries.
The boat experienced difficulties at sea on Thursday, June 5, while two more boats also capsized. Luckily, all passengers returned to land via rubber life-rafts.
As Reuters reports, boat as well as road accidents involving tourists are common in Thailand, as its safety standards are sometimes substandard.
However, these accidents do not seem to impact the country’s tourism industry, which is one of the few bright spots in a struggling economy.
