Seven people in speedboat explosion remain in hospital

KRABI, Jan 15 (TNA) -- Seven people, wounded in a speedboat explosion in Krabi yesterday remain in hospital while officials are collecting evidence to determine the cause of incident. Forensic experts and officials from related agencies including the regional marine office and the marine national park and the police inspected the debris of the exploded speed boat, King Poseidon 959 near Viking cave. The police have gathered evidence and questioned crewmen about engine condition before the boat left the shore. They also check whether any tourist smoked during the trip as it could spark the fire. The boat carried 28 tourists and three Thai tour guides from Phuket Island to Phi Phi Island. As the boat was passing the Viking cave, the driver detected a fuel leak and checked the engines. Then, the explosion occurred and the boat was engulfed in flame, forcing passengers to jump into the sea. Sixteen people were injured in the incident and four of them were severely wounded. Today, seven persons remain in hospital while nine persons were released from hospital. Kriengkrai Boonsri, the boat driver, 28 is now in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Krabi Hospital. Tourism and Sports Minister, Weerasak Kowsurat visited the injured at hospitals, right after Sunday’s incident. He said Chinese tourists, who received treatment at Krabi Nakharin International Hospital suffered second degree burn to about30-50 per cent of their bodies. (TNA)