Chinese tourist has legs slashed by boat propeller in Koh Phi Phi
>> KRABI: A Chinese tourist, 39, sustained severe leg injuries when she was slashed by a propeller while a boat was moving to moor at Pileh Bay of Koh Phi Phi yesterday.
The woman got off the speedboat, the King Poseidon 23, from its rear to dive while the skipper was backing the boat to moor, said police who were called around 9am yesterday.
The tourist, identified as Jang Sia Dan, sustained severe wounds to both legs. She was taken to Koh Phi Phi Hospital for treatment before being transferred to Vachira Hospital in Phuket due to severe bleeding, Thai media reported yesterday.
A police investigation found the woman and 19 other Chinese tourists boarded the King Poseidon 23 in Phuket to dive at Koh Phi Phi island.
The group was led by a 37-year-old Chinese tour guide. Thai Chatchai Khacharoen, 26, was the boat’s skipper and Yingyong Khongkhamsuk, 26, was a boat staffer.
Mr Chatchai told police that he took the tourists to Pileh Bay. According to him, while he was bringing the speedboat back to dock, the Chinese woman suddenly jumped into the water at the rear of the boat to dive.
At the time, he he did not see the woman so he continued to bring the boat to moor. But after other tourists called out, he stopped and saw the injured tourist asking for help.
He and his assistant pulled her back on the boat and promptly sent her to the hospital, said the skipper.
Mr Chatchai, his assistant and the tour guide were held in police custody at Phi Phi police station. They were charged initially with reckless collusion causing serious injuries to another person.
Tourist numbers from China have declined in recent months after a diving boat accident in Phuket that killed 47 Chinese in early in July.
Chinese arrivals fell 6.7% month-onmonth in August and were down a further 25.3% in September and 0.2% in October.
Authorities have been taking steps to improve the image of the country among Chinese tourists, including a waiver of visa-on-arrival fees and improved safety measures for land, air and water transport.