Dangerous speedboat drivers continue to pose a threat to safety in the waters off Phuket, with a passenger on a private yacht injured after a racing speedboat rocked the vessel he was on, causing him to fall.
The Phuket News reports that the speedboat in question was estimated to be travelling at around 25 knots while approaching the channel into Royal Phuket Marina and Boat Lagoon. For the record, the speed limit on the approach to the channel is just 5 knots.
The incident took place at around 5.15pm on April 3 and the injured yacht passenger has confirmed that several speedboats were seen exceeding the speed limit in the channel. It’s understood the tide was coming in at the time, meaning the water in the channel was only around 1.5 metres deep.
The motor yacht passenger says his vessel was rocked by several speedboats but one in particular passed very close while travelling at around 25 knots. The resulting wake rocked the motor yacht so much that the passenger fell over, sustaining serious leg injuries. According to the Phuket News report, the motor yacht in question was not a small vessel, at 23 metres, with a fly-bridge and 4 cabins.
Unable to walk, the injured man was transported to hospital by ambulance from Royal Phuket Marina. The medical team at the hospital confirmed the man had no broken bones. However, he still has difficulty walking and is understood to be having physical therapy.
Speedboat drivers racing and otherwise indulging in dangerous driving while approaching Phuket’s marinas is an ongoing problem, with little appearing to have changed since 2 children were killed in a speedboat collision in the channel in 2020.
The reports goes on to say that the operators of Royal Phuket Marina and Boat Lagoon, from where most of the speedboats depart, have been informed of the latest incident.
SOURCE: The Phuket News
