Five-Year-Old Russian Girl Dies after Speedboat Crash near Maithon Island in Phuket

A five-year-old Russian girl was pronounced dead and a boat captain fell unconscious and was injured after a Phuket boat crash. Additionally, six foreign tourists and a boat crew member sustained various injuries after their speedboat in the same accident crashed with rocks near the Maithon Island in Chalong.


The Phuket Marine Office told the Phuket Express that emergency responders were notified of the accident at 3:20 P.M. on Sunday (December 31st). Rescue workers arrived at the scene to find the damaged speedboat.

The five year old Russian girl, whose name was withheld due to her age, was initially in a coma. The boat captain, Mr. Natthapong Kongwilai, 41, had fallen unconscious with severe facial injuries. Six other foreign tourists and the boat crew member Mr. Preecha Soison had sustained various injuries. They were taken back to the pier before being rushed to hospitals in Phuket. The Russian girl was later sadly pronounced dead at a local hospital.


The speedboat with seven foreign tourists had departed from the Chalong Pier in the morning to Phi Phi Island in Krabi. On the way back to Phuket, the speedboat had stopped at the Maithon Island in Chalong before the crash.

The accident was still under investigation as of press time.

Five-Year-Old Russian Girl Dies after Speedboat Crash near Maithon Island in Phuket - The Phuket Express

For a nation of seafaring island peasants you’d think they would have got the hang of it by now but they do seem to have an awfully high number of incidents annually and manage to kill and injure many hapless tourists.

Probably that congenital Thai stupidity again.

It’s never a good time to lose a child, but losing one on a holiday is twice as hard because you’ll forever be reminded while everyone else is revelling.

RIP to the kid and thoughts and prayers to her family.

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Photos from Thairath

Excuse options for captain - rough seas, poor visibility, high winds, hit by rogue wave, taking a micro-nap, all the passengers' fault, steering failure?

Or 'all of the above'? in his effort to weasel out of any responsibility.

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Originally Posted by prawnograph

Excuse options for captain - rough seas, poor visibility, high winds, hit by rogue wave, taking a micro-nap, all the passengers' fault, steering failure?

Or 'all of the above'? in his effort to weasel out of any responsibility.

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He could try "brakes failed".

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Originally Posted by DrWilly

RIP to the kid and thoughts and prayers to her family.

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you forgot the candles.

What Willy said.

Well the "brakes failed" might not work as it turns out the captain was on amphetamines.

UPDATE: Captain of Speedboat Crash that Killed 5-Year-Old Russian Girl in Phuket Tests Positive for Amphetamine - The Phuket Express

Tourists Boats sailing, fishing boats in Port.

That seems to be how it's been for the last week or so.

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Originally Posted by misskit

crashed with rocks

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Looks more like drove straight into a massive fokin' island at full speed.

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Originally Posted by Edmond

Looks more like drove straight into a massive fokin' island at full speed.

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An idiot and speed (and speed) is not a great combination.

Remembering how a certain poster on TD found it to be a blessing, if entire planes, full of russian tourists to Thailand, crashed.

Seems that it doesn't apply if they are on boats.