Tourist Police and Phuket City Police reported that they were notified of the incident at about 4pm.
Listed as responding to the report and arriving at the marina were a host of high-ranking officers, including Phuket Provincial Police Deputy Commander Col Sermpan Sirikong, Phuket City Police Chief Col Kamon Osiri and Lt Sunan Petchnoo from Phuket City Police Station, Phuket Marine Police Chief Col Suthep Toeim, Maj Eakkachai Siri of Phuket Tourist Police, Sakorn Poodam from Phuket Marine Office.
The speedboat Pimracha 5, with its captain 22-year-old Aran Chuaigkla and two crewmen on board, struck the middle of Satakamon 333, reported the Phuket Tourist Police.
The Satakamon 333 was carrying 34 people: 30 tourists, one Thai tour guide, two boat crewman and the captain, Anucha Ngankheng, 49, reported the Phuket Tourist Police.
The tourists are all Italians who travelled to Phuket on the Costa Cruise liner Victoria that is currently at anchor in Patong Bay, noted the report.
The Italian tourists had bought a package tour from Siam Adventure World Company, and the speedboat was returning from Phang Nga Bay when the collision occurred, it added.
The eight tourists, one Thai guide and one boat crewman, totalling 10 people injured, were brought ashore at Royal Phuket Marina, where emergency teams were waiting to render assistance. (See story here.)
“Nine of those injured, all the tourists and the Thai guide, were taken to Siriroj International Hospital. The boat crewman was taken to Vachira Phuket Hospital in Phuket Town,” the Tourist Police noted in their report.
However, Tourist Police confirmed that only six of the Italian tourists were admitted to hospital, of whom Luigi Gino Desando, 52, remains in hospital with head injures, while Angela Giuseppina, 58, also remains in care at the hospital with neck injuries.
The remaining four tourists who were treated at the hospital but who have since been discharged from hospital care were named as follows:
- Giuseppe Saragnano, 60, scratches to his arms
- Maria Grazai Cesari, 60, pain to her face and left shoulder
- Manuela Silvia Bisighini, 25, injured nose and a bruised shoulder
- Rosalba Di Marco, 46, minor head injures and dental damage
The Thai guide, Muhammad Rusadee Toperoa, 53, was discharged after receiving treatment for chest injures and injuries to his right hand.
The crewman from the Satakamon 333 who was injured, Wijit Kerdsap, 44, remains in care at Vachira Phuket Hospital for swelling and scratches to an ear.
Police report that are still investigating the accident, and have yet to give an explanation as to how the collision occurred or confirm whether either of the boat drivers have had any preliminary charges pressed against them.
Meanwhile, Phuket Marine Office Chief Surat Sirisaiyat told The Phuket News this morning, “We are waiting for police to conclude their investigation, then we will charge the boat driver who was exceeding the speed limit and apply (to senior Marine Office officials) for that driver to have his boat operator’s licence revoked.”
“The tour company (Siam Adventure World Company) has insurance coverage under Safety Insurance Company for B500,000 per person,” the Phuket Tourist Police confirmed.
Additional reporting by Tanyaluk Sakoot