The ketch Inisfail was left stranded on the beach by a storm on April 1, despite efforts to save the boat by the two Australian men on board at the time.
The Aussies, who reportedly own the yacht, were en route from Ranong near the Myanmar border to Chalong, on Phuket’s east coast, when they were caught off-guard by foul weather and their boat blown ashore. (See story here.)
Efforts to safely recover the yacht, which had become a tourist attraction in itself, from the sand had failed, until a huge barge with a crane on board arrived on Friday afternoon (June 26).
The floating crane recovered the Inisfail, though both the mizzen and main masts are now broken. What other damage the boat has suffered has yet to be made clear.
Phuket Marine Office Chief Phuriphat Teerakulpisut today (June 29) confirmed to The Phuket News that he ordered the boat to be recovered from the tourist-popular beach.
“I ordered officers to recover the boat only after receiving permission from the owner,” he said. “I think the owner tried to have it recovered before, but those efforts failed.”
The Marine Office had to hire a private barge with a crane to reclaim the boat, an enterprise costing between B700,000 and B800,000 that Mr Phuriphat said he personally paid out of pocket.
“The boat is being held by the Phuket Marine Office, and I am still waiting for the two Australians to present themselves,” he said.
“After all this time, the boat still has not been registered with our office as entering Phuket waters, and the cost of moving the boat should be paid by the owners. That is their responsibility.
“I am waiting for them at the Phuket Marine Office now.”