Thai ferry disaster: Skipper ‘on drugs’
The captain of a ferry that capsized about 1,500 metres offshore from Pattaya on Sunday evening, leading to the deaths of six tourists, has turned himself in, telling Thai police he was high on drugs.
The Bangkok Post reported that the 42-year-old skipper turned himself into police, hours after his ferry capsized while returning about 200 Thai and foreign tourists from a day trip to Koh Larn.
A police chief said the captain confessed to officers that he took some drugs before going to work, and that he and the crew lost control of the vessel as a result.
He allegedly confessed the ferry wandered off course, and hit rocks.
Thailand’s Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation confirmed to the Bangkok Post that six people died – three foreigners, including a Russian woman, and three Thais. Another 18 were treated for injuries.
Authorities were still trying to verify the identities of the foreigners.
The Marine Department will investigate the cause of the ferry’s capsizing, but an initial investigation suggested the deaths and injuries stemmed from overloading and insufficient safety equipment.
The double-decker ferry sank shortly after leaving Koh Larn with a full load of passengers heading for Pattaya.
The boat’s water pumps broke down, the vessel was flooded and the engine stopped functioning, he said.
The passengers panicked, claiming there were insufficient life jackets on board the ferry.
Ian Jarrett
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