At the site of one of the accidents (Source: csmonitor.com) Hanoi (VNA) - The Philippine Coast Guard said August 3 that at least seven people died while 13 others were missing after two ferry boats sank earlier the same day in the central Philippines. The coast guard said the boats named Che-Che and Keziah were transiting Farola Wharf in Iloilo to Jordan Wharf in Guimaras when they were battered by sudden strong winds and sank. The initial report showed that a total of 51 people were on both vessels. Che-Che was carrying 43 passengers and four crew members while motorboat Keziah had no passenger onboard but had four crew members. Search and rescue operations are underway.-VNA … [Read more...] about Philippines: 7 dead, 13 missing after boats sink
Leeward 13 boat
Indonesia cleans up trash on Thousand Islands
Workers clear up garbage piling up in Jakarta Bay area as part of the earliest local government combat against waste on its waters. (Source: (AFP/Dasril Roszandi) Jakarta (VNA) – Residents of the Thousand Islands off Jakarta’s coast are battling waves of trash, with an estimated 40 tonnes of rubbish collected daily over the past week. Indonesian authorities have deployed an army of staff and a fleet of boats to help clear the rubbish-infested shorelines and surrounding waters in an attempt to combat the Southeast Asian archipelago’s mammoth marine waste problem. This week’s cleanup operation is centred around a string of islands known as the Thousand Islands, a popular destination for day trip from the traffic-clogged capital. Residents of one island have reported dead turtles in the area, although Yusen Hardiman, head of the region’s environmental department, said it was not yet clear if this was a result of ingesting rubbish. Last week, a sperm … [Read more...] about Indonesia cleans up trash on Thousand Islands
NGO ship with 87 migrants stranded at sea as Italy ports closed
A Spanish NGO ship which rescued 87 migrants off the coast of Libya two days ago was still looking to dock at a port on Friday (Aug 3), with Italy closed to them, the group Proactiva Open Arms said. Spanish NGO Proativa Open Arms has been rescuing migrants stranded at sea on makeshift boats despite Italy's closing its ports to them AFP/PAU BARRENA The migrants, nearly all from Sudan including from Darfur, had spent 50 hours at sea on board an inflatable boat, without drinking water and many suffering burns from a mixture of fuel and salt water. Many of them jumped into the sea when the rescuers arrived on Wednesday for fear of being taken back to Libya where migrants often suffer abuse, arbitrary detentions, extortion and violence. "We are beginning to see the first smiles, even though fear and uncertainty still show in their faces," the NGO said on Twitter on Friday. It added that it was glad to bring them "a bit of humanity after persecution in their country, torture in … [Read more...] about NGO ship with 87 migrants stranded at sea as Italy ports closed
13 bodies found in Phuket boat accident
The first body was recovered in early morning of July 6 and 12 more were found just before noon. Forty-three people are still missing. All boat passengers were Chinese tourists, Thai authority confirmed. The boat called Phoenix was carrying at least 105 people, including 93 tourists and 12 tour guides, when it was pummelled by huge waves on the way back to Phuket from the popular snorkeling spot of Koh Racha. The boat was flooded and began to keel over after it was hit by five-metre high waves in the afternoon. Life jackets were later handed out to passengers and inflatable life rafts deployed, said the captain, Somjing Boontham. Rescuers have saved 51 people. Eleven are injured, two of whom are in serious condition, said Phuket governor Noraphat Plodthing. Helicopters were dispatched to find those who may have drifted away from the boat while divers were also sent to search inside the sunken boat, he added. According to the Chinese Consulate General in Songkhla, most of the … [Read more...] about 13 bodies found in Phuket boat accident
Thailand: 13 bodies found in Phuket boat accident
Rescued tourists are brought aboard a fishing boat, but the Phuket governor's office says "dozens of Chinese" are missing after their tourist boat capsized. (Photo: Phuket Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation) Bangkok (VNA) – A total of 13 bodies were discovered as of July 6 noon after a tourist boat had overturned near the Thai island of Phuket a day earlier, reported the Thai News Agency (TNA). The first body was recovered in early morning of July 6 and 12 more were found just before noon. Forty-three people are still missing. All boat passengers were Chinese tourists, Thai authority confirmed. The boat called Phoenix was carrying at least 105 people, including 93 tourists and 12 tour guides, when it was pummelled by huge waves on the way back to Phuket from the popular snorkeling spot of Koh Racha. The boat was flooded and began to keel over after it was hit by five-metre high waves in the afternoon. Life jackets were later handed out to passengers and … [Read more...] about Thailand: 13 bodies found in Phuket boat accident
At least 13 killed as boat capsizes in Indonesia
Twenty-four surviving passengers were admitted to hospital but dozens are believed still missing, said the local disaster agency. The packed traditional wooden boat left Makassar, provincial capital of South Sulawesi in the afternoon for a short journey to the resort island of Barrang Lompo, some 15 kilometres northwest of the city's coast. The boat reportedly hit a large wave amid bad weather and capsized. Makassar police said the boat was overloaded. The cause of the incident is still being investigated. According to statistics, almost 32 million Indonesians are on the move this week in the annual Eid Al-Fitr exodus. It was the latest deadly maritime accident in Indonesia, which relies heavily on boats to carry people around its 17,000 islands but has a patchy safety record. On New Year's Day, nine people died after a passenger boat capsized when travelling from the city of Tarakan to Tanjung Selor on Borneo island.-VNA Tags: passenger boat Sulawesi Indonesia Island … [Read more...] about At least 13 killed as boat capsizes in Indonesia
Search continues for 13 fishermen missing in Gulf of Tonkin
At the request of the Vietnam Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Centre (VIETNAMMRCC), the Vietnam National Search & Rescue Committee under the Ministry of Defence deployed three additional naval and coastal guard ships to join the mission with rescue ships SAR 411 and SAR 273 and local fishing vessels at the scene.search continues for 13 fishermen missing in gulf of tonkin hinh 0On January 9, the Zone 1 search and rescue centre received mayhem calls from two sinking ships, coded TH91552 TS and TH1288 TS in the Gulf of Tokin.The fishing vessels sunk about 70 nautical miles to the south-southeast of the northern province of Hai Phong, leaving 11 fishermen missing. There was strong wind and the sea was rough.The same day, fishing boat TH-90605 TS with seven fishermen on board also lost contact with the mainland.The centre immediately sent its rescue ship SAR 411 to the location and signaled nearby fishing ships to coordinate the mission.By noon, they saved three sailors of ship … [Read more...] about Search continues for 13 fishermen missing in Gulf of Tonkin
Last body recovered from boat tragedy in Dak Lak Province
The body of 22-year-old Tran Thi Kim Hang, a resident of Krong Pak District, who was killed in the recent boat tragedy, was recovered by the rescue team in Dak Lak Province, morning of March 16. The scene of the accident (Photo: SGGP) Dinh XuanSon, Director of the Dekalb Company in Ho Chi Minh City, told reportersthat all the victims on the ill-fated boat had been identified by theirrelatives. As reportedearlier, an overloaded boat carrying 12 people sank in the Krong NoRiver in Dak Nong Province on Tuesday, March 13, killing six people,most of them in their 20s. Theincident occurred Tuesday evening when the boat, meant only for threepersons, capsized after it was engulfed by strong waves triggered by agush of water released abruptly by the Tua Sarh hydropower plantreservoir. Six people, including the boatman, managed to escape while the others were swept away by strong currents. Authorities from Krong No … [Read more...] about Last body recovered from boat tragedy in Dak Lak Province
Indonesia: 13 dead in second fatal boat accident in a week
The boat was carrying 55 people along the Musi river when it was hit by a large wave and sank amid bad weather on January 3, South Sumatra water police chief Robinson Siregar said.He said the police were still searching for the captain. Meanwhile, his assistant has been detained for questioning to find out whether or not the boat was seaworthy or there was negligence by the crew.It was the latest deadly maritime accident in the Indonesian archipelago, which relies heavily on boats to ferry people around its 17,000 islands. On New Year's Day, at least nine people died after a passenger boat capsized when traveling from the city of Tarakan to Tanjung Selor on Borneo island. Vietnamplus … [Read more...] about Indonesia: 13 dead in second fatal boat accident in a week
13 dead in Indonesia’s second fatal boat accident in a week
The boat was carrying 55 people along the Musi river when it hit a large wave and sank amid bad weather Wednesday, South Sumatra water police chief Robinson Siregar said.He said the police were still searching for the captain, who reportedly survived but went missing."His assistant has been detained for questioning to find out, for example, whether or not the boat was seaworthy or there was negligence by the crew," Siregar said.Bodies were found along the riverbank, with one discovered by locals an hour's walk from the accident site.It was the latest deadly maritime accident in the vast Indonesian archipelago, which relies heavily on boats to ferry people around its 17,000 islands, but has a patchy safety record.On New Year's Day, at least nine people died after a passenger boat capsized when traveling from the city of Tarakan to Tanjung Selor on Borneo island.Last July, eight people drowned in a boat accident on the same route.On New Year's Day in 2016, at least 23 people died when a … [Read more...] about 13 dead in Indonesia’s second fatal boat accident in a week