BANGKOK: At least one victim has died after the boat a group of 26 Chinese tourists were in burst into flames and exploded in the waters off Krabi, a top holiday destination in southern Thailand.
Krabi Prevention and Mitigation Disaster Department head, Paisarn Khunsri, said the speedboat 'King Poseidon 959' was making its way to Phi-Phi Island with 26 Chinese tourists and five crew at around 9.30am Sunday when the incident occurred.
According to Thailand newspaper The Nation, the boat left from the Thai Morning Sun Pier in Koh Sirae, Phuket before exploding in front of the so-called "Viking Cave".
The cause of the accident is believed to have been a fuel leak, it reported.
"Initial reports stated that three of the victims sustained serious injuries, another three with moderate injuries while an undetermined number sustained minor injuries," said Paisarn.
The injured were sent to several nearby hospitals including Phi-Phi Hospital, Krabi Hospital and Phuket Hospital to receive immediate treatment.
The local authorities, according to Paisarn, would carry out an investigation to determine the actual cause of the incident, Bernama reported.
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