Fears grow for British tourist missing after boat caught fire in Thailand

A British backpacker is still missing after a fire ripped through a diving boat and sank off the island of Koh Tao in Thailand.

Alexandra Clarke, 26, from London, was diving in the tourist hotspot and had asked guides if she could use the toilet before the blaze broke out on board the boat, named Davy Jones Locker, at 9.15am local time on Sunday.

There were 22 people on board including 16 tourists participating in diving activities, four diving instructors, a boat captain and a crew member. All others on board were accounted for.

The boat driver, a Myanmar crew member, and six tourists who witnessed the fire reported to police that Ms Clarke had requested to surface from the water and entered the toilet facilities on the boat.

At the time the fire broke out, she was reportedly still in the toilet.

The cause of the fire was related to a malfunction which occurred while the diving tanks were being filled with compressed air, according to reports.

Captain Natthaphon Sinpoonphon, Deputy Director of the Thai Maritime Enforcement Command Center of Surat Thani, said the blaze started around 9am local time. An emergency call was received shortly after.

He said: “The boat was carrying a group of tourists for a diving excursion from Koh Tao. It was between five and six nautical miles away from the island.

“A fire started in the engine room and spread through the boat rapidly. Thai-MECC Surat Thani coordinated with private vessels and volunteers to safely evacuate the tourists and crew members onto another boat.

“Meanwhile, another team of volunteers worked to control the fire. Preliminary reports indicate that the engine room, captain’s cabin, and rear restroom were damaged. The exact cause of the fire remains under investigation.”

Weather conditions and the strength of the blaze initially made it difficult for rescue teams to get near the boat, but it has now been towed to shore.

Koh Tao is a popular hub for divers and tourists thanks to its reefs and beaches.

The boat was operating in an area known as Kong Tum Ku, 5-6 nautical miles from Koh Tao.

When the vessel was first evacuated, it was thought that the fire could be controlled and it could be towed safely back to Ko Tao. But it suddenly sank, according to the Thai Examiner.

An FCDO spokesperson said: “We are supporting the family of a British woman who is missing in Thailand and are in contact with local authorities.”