Phuket Marine Police Deputy Superintendent Lt Col Prasert Srikunarat named the two speedboats as the Chonlakij and the Hongfa 33.
The collision occurred while the Chonlakij was carrying 36 people in total, including passengers and crew, from Phuket to Phi Phi Island, while the Hongfa 33 was travelling from Phi Phi Island to Phuket, he explained.
The Hongfa 33 was carrying 26 people, including passengers and crew, when the collicion occurred, he added.
“The incident happened near the Moosang Rocks, between Koh Dokmai and Phi Phi Island, about 30 nautical miles from Phuket,” Col Prasert said.
“The Chonlakij sank, but all people on board were rescued by dive boats nearby. Rescuers transported some of the victims to a pier in Rassada.”
Phuket Governor Chamroen Tipyayapongtada in a statement issued this afternoon confirmed that two tourists had died, one male and one female. The bodies of both tourists were taken to Vachira Hospital in Phuket Town. Gov Chamroen did not identify the victims’ names or nationalities.
A total of seven people were seriously injured in the collision, while a further 19 suffered injuries requiring medical attention, Gov Chamroen reported.
A further 26 people suffered minor injuries and were taken to Mission Hospital for treatment, he added.
“Most of the tourists on board the two boats were Chinese or Korean. A total of 62 people were on board the boats at the time of the collision,” he said.
Police confirmed to The Phuket News that all 62 people are accounted for.
“There are no persons missing,” one officer told The Phuket News.
The names of the injured and the deceased have yet to be confirmed by authorities.