Thread: Skipper of a yacht missing after vessel caught fire and capsized

The skipper of an 18-million baht yacht went missing after his vessel caught fire and capsized in the Gulf about 1.8 nautical miles from the coast of Tambon Pumriang, Chaiya district of Surat Thani province on Tuesday.

The skipper was identified as Samran Pipatpalsakul, 36.

Chaiya district police a shipyard owner, Mr Patpong Laopreechakul, skipper Samran and another friend who was not identified set sail in the yacht from Ban Don estuary to the sea about 1.8 miles from the shoreline with a plan to sail to Koh Tao and Koh Pa-ngan on Wednesday for sight-seeing.

Patpong and a friend did not stay overnight on the vessel but spent the night at a beach resort while the skipper was supposed to be on the yacht anchoring about 1.8 miles from the beach.

Patpong said when he returned to the spot where the yacht dropped anchor, it was not there along with the skipper who went missing.

The yacht was however found capsizing in the sea with a rubber raft went missing with the skipper.

A search was mounted by a team of divers and rescue workers, but they failed to locate the skipper.

Skipper of a yacht went missing after vessel caught fire and capsized - Thai PBS English News

Body of missing skipper found

Fishermen in Surat Thani have found the body of a man believed to be the missing skipper of a yacht which caught fire and capsized in the sea about four kilometres off the coast of Tambon Poom Riang in Chaiya district.

Chaiya district police received a report about the finding of a body floating in the sea about one kilometer to the west of the spot where the yacht capsized from fishermen at about 6 am Friday morning.

A rescue team and divers were then rushed to the scene and the body was fished out of the sea and sent to Surat Thani provincial hospital for an autopsy and identification before the body was claimed by his family for funeral.

The skipper of the yacht, 35-year old Mr Samran Pitakpolsakul, went missing after the vessel caught fire and capsized on Tuesday night.

The vessel was towed back on Thursday but it ran aground about 800 metres from the coast. Divers searched the capsized boat but could not locate the skipper’s body until police received a tipoff from fishermen Friday morning.

As far as the yacht is concerned, police are trying to determine the cause of the fire.

Body of missing skipper of a yacht found - Thai PBS English News

Originally Posted by misskit

As far as the yacht is concerned, police are trying to determine the cause of the fire.

Very often cause of fire/explosion in the cockpit: leak of a gas when cooking. Or the flame at the burner is extinguished by wind. Then the gas fills the space of the cockpit since heavier than air, any spark will initiate an explosion.