In the early hours of Friday morning, December 22, elevated waves led to the sinking of a night ferry en route to Koh Tao, a Gulf of Thailand resort island.
The ferry, named 'T. Sandee Maneethup 111,' weighing 114.93 tons, had departed from the Bandon Bay pier in Surat Thani province at 10:00 p.m. on Thursday with 70 passengers and crew on board. Scheduled to reach Koh Tao at 6:00 a.m. on Friday, the vessel encountered waves ~3 meters high, causing seawater to breach its hull and damage water pumps, resulting in a gradual sinking ~15 nautical miles (27.78 km) from Koh Tao.
Prompted by the crew's distress call, rescue speedboats were deployed to safely transport all passengers and crew, predominantly foreign tourists, to the Koh Tao shore. Fortunately, no injuries or missing persons were reported at the time of the incident. The ferry succumbed to the waves and sank entirely beneath the sea surface ~10:30 a.m. on Friday.
Koh Tao, renowned as one of the world's top 5 diving sites, is a beloved travel destination in Southeast Asia, attracting residents, migrant workers, and expatriates to its 21-square-kilometer expanse.