33 confirm dead from Phuket's boat tragedy, 23 still missing

BANGKOK: The death toll after a boat sank in rough waters off Phuket island yesterday evening climbed to 33 while another 23 victims remained missing, according to a Royal Thai Navy (RTN) deputy commander Rear Admiral Charoenpol Kumrasri.
All the dead and missing, mostly tourist from China were passengers of a diving boat, "Phoenix Diving".
"Some of the dead victims were found trapped inside the sunken diving boat," he told the media in Phuket, tonight, adding that 49 passengers of the boat were rescued yesterday by passing fishermen trawlers and transferred to the main island.
The 'Phoenix Diving' carried 105 passengers including 93 tourists, one tour guide and 11 crew members when it was hit by high waves and strong winds in yesterday's 5.45pm (local time) incident.
The search and rescue operation has been suspended due to bad weather and will resume tomorrow.
The storm yesterday which caused waves up to five metres high also overturned and sank a yacht, 'Serenitta', throwing 42 of its passengers into the raging sea, but fortunately, all were rescued by passing vessels.
Two of the passengers who were listed as missing earlier have been found alive, according to the governor.
The yacht was hit by high waves while making its way back from excursions in Koh Racha Island. — Bernama