Toll from deadly Thai tourist boat sinking rises to 41

PHUKET, Thailand: Recovery divers have pulled 41 bodies from the sea off the Thai holiday island of Phuket, officials said on Saturday, 48 hours after a boat capsized in rough waters killing dozens of Chinese passengers. Many of the dead were found drifting in the sea, still wearing life jackets, several kilometres from where the Phoenix went down after being hit by five-metre high waves in a storm on Thursday evening.

It is one of the worst boat disasters in the recent history of Thailand, a nation with a poor health and safety track record despite being heavily dependent on tourism.

The death toll rose to 41 on Saturday, with 15 still missing, according to the Phuket province public relations department. Seventeen Chinese divers joined the operation on Saturday to recover bodies as conflicting figures emerged about the number of dead.

Phuket Governor Norraphat Plodthong had earlier said that five bodies were found on Saturday, in addition to 37 bodies recovered on Friday.

The triple decked Phoenix was carrying 105 passengers, mostly Chinese tourists, when it sank on the way back from a popular snorkelling spot.

The Phuket provincial government has said the island’s morgue is full, with Chinese authorities requesting 40 further refrigeration units.