Off the wire
• Five jailed after killing wild animal  • China sets world record for scientific ocean coring  • Roundup: Chinese premier urges more efforts to promote China-U.S. ties  • Unexploded wartime bombs cleared in Solomon Islands: New Zealand military  • Toyota to recall 142,592 imported vehicles  • Bahamas apprehends 117 illegal Haitian migrants  • Roundup: DPRK conducts test of new rocket engine for long-range missile: S.Korea  • Aussie university develops new drug for fatal disease  • China, New Zealand to enhance cooperation in trade, judicial affairs  • Laos, Vietnam boost information technology cooperation  
You are here: 　 Home

27 bodies found, 2 still missing from central Thailand's boat crash

Xinhua, September 20, 2016 Adjust font size:

Thai authorities Tuesday put the death toll from Sunday's boat sinking accident to 27, with two people still missing, local media reported.

According to Thairath, six more bodies including a eight-year-old boy were found on Tuesday morning from the Chao Phraya River in central Thailand's Ayutthaya province about 5 kilometers away from where the accident occurred at Sanamchai Temple. A female and a male are still missing.

Of the 27 victims who died from drowning at the scene and at Ayutthaya hospital, 20 were female, and 7 were male. More than 50 passengers were injured, one seriously.

The boat on Sunday was reportedly carrying about 150 Thai Muslims heading to a mosque in Ayutthaya for an annual religious rite in the northern province Nonthaburi while it's licensed to carry only 50.

A video clip of the accident shows the two-level ferry foundered after crashing into a concrete berm.

The searching operation is still under way in strong wind and rushing currents.

Officials said the boat operator arrested on Monday is charged with recklessness resulting in death and injury as well as overloading the vessel with too many passengers.

Police said the boat operator admitted that most of the passengers were not wearing life vests on the boat. Endit