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| British woman among three killed after speedboat capsizes in Thailand | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Three foreign tourists have died and one other remains missing after a speedboat capsized off the popular Thai holiday island of Koh Samui, a police officer said on Friday. | Three foreign tourists have died and one other remains missing after a speedboat capsized off the popular Thai holiday island of Koh Samui, a police officer said on Friday. |
| The boat, which was carrying 32 tourists plus four crew, flipped over Thursday afternoon after it was hit by a wave near a rocky stretch of coast in the Gulf of Thailand. | The boat, which was carrying 32 tourists plus four crew, flipped over Thursday afternoon after it was hit by a wave near a rocky stretch of coast in the Gulf of Thailand. |
| The bodies of a 28-year-old British woman and a 29-year-old German woman were retrieved that afternoon, said Paiboon Omark, a district chief on the island. | The bodies of a 28-year-old British woman and a 29-year-old German woman were retrieved that afternoon, said Paiboon Omark, a district chief on the island. |
| On Friday morning rescue workers found the body of a third tourist, who police identified as a Hong Kong woman “in her 30s”. Her body was found at 10.30am 500 metres away, said Thanakorn Pattananun, the head of the island’s tourist police, told AFP. | On Friday morning rescue workers found the body of a third tourist, who police identified as a Hong Kong woman “in her 30s”. Her body was found at 10.30am 500 metres away, said Thanakorn Pattananun, the head of the island’s tourist police, told AFP. |
| A team of 50 rescue workers in seven boats were searching for a British man who is still missing, he said. | A team of 50 rescue workers in seven boats were searching for a British man who is still missing, he said. |
| The Thai captain of the Ang Thong Explorer speedboat has been detained and charged with negligence that led to deaths and injuries. | The Thai captain of the Ang Thong Explorer speedboat has been detained and charged with negligence that led to deaths and injuries. |
| “Weather was the cause of the accident because it created high waves, but the boat was also being driven at a high speed,” Apichart Boonsriro, the commander of Surat Thani provincial police, told AFP. | “Weather was the cause of the accident because it created high waves, but the boat was also being driven at a high speed,” Apichart Boonsriro, the commander of Surat Thani provincial police, told AFP. |
| Four tourists have been hospitalised for injuries sustained during the accident, including a British woman and Australian man who have been sent to a hospital in Bangkok, said staff at Samui hospital. | Four tourists have been hospitalised for injuries sustained during the accident, including a British woman and Australian man who have been sent to a hospital in Bangkok, said staff at Samui hospital. |
| The two other tourists, a Romanian woman and a German man, are receiving medical treatment on the island, the hospital said. | The two other tourists, a Romanian woman and a German man, are receiving medical treatment on the island, the hospital said. |
| The speedboat had been taking the tourists on a day trip to nearby islands and was only a few metres from a pier when it capsized. | The speedboat had been taking the tourists on a day trip to nearby islands and was only a few metres from a pier when it capsized. |
| The British Foreign Office confirmed the death of a British woman and said it was assisting her family. | The British Foreign Office confirmed the death of a British woman and said it was assisting her family. |
| A spokeswoman said they were aware of another British national in hospital for injuries suffered in the same incident, but did not make reference to a third citizen. | A spokeswoman said they were aware of another British national in hospital for injuries suffered in the same incident, but did not make reference to a third citizen. |
| “We remain in contact with local authorities in Thailand for further information,” she said. | “We remain in contact with local authorities in Thailand for further information,” she said. |
| The German embassy in Bangkok was not available to comment. | The German embassy in Bangkok was not available to comment. |
| Tourism is a key source of revenue for Thailand, but accidents involving tourists are common in a country where safety regulations are often weakly enforced. | Tourism is a key source of revenue for Thailand, but accidents involving tourists are common in a country where safety regulations are often weakly enforced. |
| In February a British tourist was killed on Koh Samui after being thrown from an elephant. Gareth Crowe, 36, was taking part in a trek when the animal turned on its handler. | In February a British tourist was killed on Koh Samui after being thrown from an elephant. Gareth Crowe, 36, was taking part in a trek when the animal turned on its handler. |
| In January a speedboat struck and killed a French tourist while she was snorkelling in waters reserved for swimmers off a Thai island in Krabi province. | In January a speedboat struck and killed a French tourist while she was snorkelling in waters reserved for swimmers off a Thai island in Krabi province. |