Thai authorities retrieve ship from fatal Phuket capsizing
- Sinking of ship claimed the lives of 47 Chinese tourists
- Number of visitors from China has dropped steadily since the accident in July
A ship that capsized in July off the coast of Thailand’s tourist hotspot Phuket -- leaving dozens of Chinese tourists dead -- was plucked out of the sea on Saturday, immigration officials said.
In July, the Phoenix was carrying 105 people when it sank on the way back from a popular snorkelling spot.
Divers and the navy spent more than a week retrieving bodies, some from within the watery tomb, bringing the death toll to 47 Chinese tourists.
More than four months after the tragic incident, Thai authorities were able to retrieve the Phoenix using a 1,000-tonne crane ship hired from Singapore at a cost of 35 million baht, about US$1 million, said a statement issued by the Thai immigration police department.
“The Phoenix was brought to the surface at 3:20pm,” it said.