Pol Col Atthawat Suwannarat, Chief of Phi Phi Police, would identify the boat driver only as ‘Mr Suriya’, 44 years old.
Suriya suffered two broken arms and a fractured neck in the collision. He is recovering at Vachira Phuket Hospital in Phuket, Pol Col Atthawat confirmed.
Police have ordered a drugs and alcohol test, he said. “We have not received any report from Vachira yet, We hope to receive the report today,” Pol Col Atthawat noted.
“At this stage all we know is that the speedboat was being driven at high speed and hit the fishing boat, but we still have yet to continue our investigation and question witnesses to learn more,” Pol Col Atthawat added.
Pol Col Atthawat confirmed that the Russian girl who died in the collision was 17 years old, and travelling with a family member.
According to an official situation report issued by the Krabi Provincial Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office together with the Maritime Security Command, the collision occurred at about 8:55am, about five nautical miles from Koh Phi Phi.
The speedboat, named ‘Koravich Marine’ and operated by A Timer Company, was travelling from Phuket with 55 people on board when it struck the fishing trawler ‘Pichai Samut 1’, which was operating in the area. Those on board the speedboat included 50 tourists, one Thai guide, one foreign guide and three crew members.
Authorities confirmed that the passengers included 33 Russian nationals, eight from Kazakhstan, four from Uzbekistan, two from Kyrgyzstan, three Polish nationals, one British national and four Thais. The collision resulted in one fatality and at least 20 people suffering injuries of varying severity.
A large-scale rescue operation was launched immediately, involving private fishing vessels, Marine Police Region 3, the Krabi Provincial Marine Police, the Tourist Assistance Center, the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation (PPAO), Koh Phi Phi Hospital and hospitals in Phuket.
All injured passengers were initially taken to Koh Phi Phi Hospital before being transferred to Phuket for further treatment, while uninjured passengers were returned to Phuket by boat.
As of 4pm yesterday, officials reported that 53 of the 55 people involved had been transported back to Phuket. The body of the deceased teenager, along with two relatives, was also being returned to Phuket for further procedures.
Hospital officials confirmed that 14 injured passengers were admitted to Vachira Phuket Hospital, four to Siriroj Hospital and one to Dibuk Hospital. Several of those injured include children, and most are reported to be in stable condition.
Following the incident, the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organization established a temporary emergency medical operations centre at Ao Chalong Pier to assist tourists and coordinate support with relevant agencies. Two PPAO boats were dispatched to help transport passengers and crew from the scene.
Pol Col Atthawat said the operator of the ‘Koravich Marine’ speedboat is covering all medical expenses for the injured passengers.
Investigators from Phi Phi Police and relevant maritime authorities are continuing to examine the cause of the collision, including vessel speed, lookout procedures and navigational conditions at the time of the crash.
Additional reporting by Eakkapop Thongtub