Thai speedboat captain charged over fatal accident
Bangkok - The captain of a Thai speedboat that capsized killing at least three tourist has been arrested, police said Friday.
"We have charged the captain for wreckless endangerment because he did not warn passengers to put on their life vest and didn't communicate properly with his crew," said Lieutenant Navee Chitbarn, the investigating officer in the case.
The death toll rose to three on Friday morning after police recovered the body of a Hong Kong woman. She was not wearing a life vest.
One British man was still missing, Navee said.
Two women, one German and one British, died when the speedboat was overturned by high waves and capsized late Thursday near a rocky outcrop off Koh Samui island, around 700 kilometres south of Bangkok.
According to Navee, strong winds contributed to the accident.
The boat was returning from a daytrip to Ang Thong Marine National Park, where the tourists had been snorkeling.
The boat was carrying32 foreign tourists and four Thai crew, according to Supaporn Wongnamtip, a customer relations official at Anthong Discovery.
Ang Thong National Park is a popular tourist destination for visitors staying on nearby Koh Samui in the Gulf of Thailand.
- DPA
