Tourist boat carrying 38 people sinks off the coast of holiday hotspot
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A tourist boat with 38 people on board sunk off the coast of Thailand.
The rescue operation was launched off the coast of the holiday hotspot of Phuket.
The Ameray 888, a catamaran, had set sail on an excursion before disaster struck.
A dramatic rescue mission was launched after the vessel capsized and sank in just 20 minutes.
The vessel set off from Chalong Pier
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The boat worth around £380,000, set sail from the island's Chalong Pier at around 12:30pm on Monday.
It was bound for another holiday hotspot, Koh Hey Island, but a distress call was sent shortly after the ship set sail.
Local media reports the boat was carrying 33 Chinese tourists, a tour guide, an intern, and three crew members.
Several nearby vessels rushed to scene to rescue those onboard. These included a Maliwan fishing vessel and a tour boat.
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The vessel was spotted sinking off the coast of Ko Racha Yai
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Thankfully, there were no casualties as they were wearing life jackets.
Several Chinese tourists sustained minor injuries. They were met with a response team and translators when they were taken back to Chalong Pier.
The director of the Phuket Regional Harbour Office, said: "The mandatory life jacket policy proved crucial.
"All passengers were wearing life jackets when the emergency occurred, allowing them to stay safely afloat until rescue arrived."
An investigation into the cause of the accident has been launched.
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