Fire on Ferry to Thailand's 'Island of Death': 108 Aboard, Chaos Ensues

Over 100 people were aboard a ferry heading to Koh Tao in southern Thailand when a fire broke out. The ship rapidly caught fire. Some of the passengers waited for rescue on the roof, and others jumped overboard. This happened on the way to the notoriously named "Island of Death."

The passenger ship was headed to Koh Tao in southern Thailand. There were 108 people on board. It was also carrying cars and animals. At one point, at about 11:30 PM Greenwich Time, people heard a bang and smelled smoke. A few minutes later, thick, dark smoke started billowing below deck. Panic erupted on the ship.

There were not enough life jackets, so we put them on at the last moment. People were crying; it was total chaos, reports one of the passengers. The ship's captain alerted the Coast Guard, and literally moments later, the ferry was engulfed in flames. Some passengers climbed to the ship's roof. Others jumped overboard.

Help arrived about 20 minutes later. However, rescue ships could not approach any closer for fear of an explosion. Once the fire was preliminarily extinguished, the evacuation of passengers began. No injuries were reported, although some people were affected by the smoke.

Koh Tao is one of the most beautiful vacation spots in Thailand. However, it is shrouded in bad fame. It is called the "Island of Death" because in 2014, two British travellers were murdered there. Since then, nine European tourists have died or disappeared on Koh Tao. A similar story took place on the nearby island of Phuket, where two years ago, the body of a Swiss tourist was found. Her death was most likely a murder.

Source: Daily Mail