As crewman Jaroon Juprasert, 68, told the reporters, the boat with three people on board was coming back to Phuket after having spent four days in the sea catching fish. The catch was not big due to weather conditions.
Somewhere between Koh Tapao Yai and Koh Tapao Noi (about three or four kilometers from the shore) the vessel crashed into a wreck of a sunken ship and began to sink slowly.
The captain ordered his crew to put on life jackets, connect each other with a rope tied to the vessel and also tie empty water bottles for better buoyancy. Yet, one of the crew – Prakanchai Suparat, 60*, – got lost in the sea. It is believed that the rope that was attached to him was probably loose.
Mr Prakanchai still had his life jacket with water on him. The search is ongoing.
* Mr Prakanchai was later confirmed to be 60 year old, not 64 as The Phuket News was first told.