5 foreign tourists rescued after Phuket tour boat starts leaking

By Phan Anh July 10, 2025 | 01:30 am PT

Rescue boats arrive to help tourists on the Poseidon tour boat, which was leaking during a return trip from a diving session off Phuket, Thailand, July 9, 2025. Photo courtesy of the Phuket Provincial Administration Organization

Five foreign tourists were rescued off Thailand's Phuket on Wednesday after their tour boat began leaking during a diving trip.

The Poseidon boat developed a mechanical fault in its exhaust pipe while returning from Koh Yao to Koh Khieo, causing water to flood in around 4:50 p.m., said Rewat Areerob, president of the Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (PAO), the Bangkok Post reported.

A dive tour operator alerted the Khaimuk (Pearl) Tourist Assistance Center, triggering an urgent rescue. Patrol Boat 3 was quickly dispatched, safely evacuating all five tourists and transporting them back to Chalong Pier without injuries, The Nation reported.

Crew members on the nearby Mermaid boat managed to seal the leak, preventing further flooding. The Poseidon was later towed back to shore by the Andaman Pearl 3 and Mermaid boats.