45 dead, 2 missing in Phuket’s boat tragedy
By Zhao Yipu
People's Daily app
1531278529000

Bangkok (People's Daily)- The death toll of Thailand’s boat tragedy rose to 45, while 2 remain missing, including a passenger trapped under the boat, according to Wednesday’s press briefing by Thai authorities.

The Phuket government held a bardo deliverance ceremony for the victims of the sunken boat at Chalong Pier on Wednesday morning before briefing the press on current search and rescue work. 

As of this morning, the death toll of Phuket’s boat tragedy rose to 45, with two remaining unaccounted, including a passenger trapped under the sunken boat.

A total of 101 people were on the Phoenix - the capsized boat - when the tragedy happened. Of the 89 tourists on board, 87 of them were Chinese nationals. 

In regards to the trapped passenger, search and rescue squads have confirmed a concrete salvage plan, and the work is currently in progress, the Thai Navy said. 

With joint efforts from the Army, the Thai Navy has reinforced search efforts with assistance from authorities along the coast to infer the best possible location of the other missing passengers based on ocean currents and the monsoon.

(Compiled by Li Lei)