13-8-2023 (BANGKOK) A gripping sense of uncertainty envelops the waters off Bang Ta Boon bay in Ban Laem district, as two tourists remain unaccounted for following a harrowing incident that unfolded on Saturday afternoon. A tour boat, brimming with the promise of a leisurely excursion, was unexpectedly struck by a powerful waterspout, resulting in its untimely descent to the depths of the bay.
Distress calls quickly reverberated through the airwaves, alerting authorities to the dire situation. At approximately 5 pm, the 191 police emergency centre received reports of the unfolding calamity.
The vessel, with seven passengers on board who had embarked on a picturesque sightseeing jaunt around Ban Ta Boon bay, was abruptly thrust into turmoil as the waterspout’s wrath wreaked havoc.
In the aftermath, the boat succumbed to the powerful forces at play and plummeted beneath the surface, rendering the passengers and crew powerless against the forces of nature.
The subsequent hours of turmoil plunged the search and rescue units into a race against time. The heroic efforts of a rescue team hailing from the Sawang Sanphet Thammasatan Foundation sprung into action, setting out on a mission to recover the missing souls.
The rescuers’ tenacity bore fruit as they succeeded in plucking five passengers from the treacherous waters, ushering them to the safety of dry land. However, the challenge was far from over, as two souls remained conspicuously absent, their whereabouts shrouded in uncertainty.
As the operations unfolded, a glimpse into the fateful voyage emerged from the account of Sampan Jinping, the 63-year-old operator of the stricken boat. The missing tourists were identified as males, one clad in a vibrant Hawaiian shirt, while the other sported a more subdued ensemble – a black T-shirt paired with jeans. The tragedy casts a somber pall over the tranquil beauty of the region’s idyllic waters.
The calamitous encounter, captured in a haunting video clip, revealed the tour boat’s fateful collision with the watery tempest. The footage, recorded by an individual who was dining alongside his family at a shorefront restaurant, underscored the intensity of the incident.
