Dozens missing after boat capsizes off Thailand

Dozens of people were missing after a boat capsized and sank today near a Thai resort island, police said.

The boat, carrying about a hundred passengers and crew, capsized after it faced strong currents and wind in the Andaman sea about 24 miles from mainland Krabi province, 400 miles south of Bangkok, said police Col. Sompob Kantasee.

The boat was travelling between Krabi province and a resort island of Phi Phi, he said.

“There are about 100 people on the boat which probably included some tourists,” Sompob said, adding that bad weather likely caused the accident.

Rescue workers were searching for the missing passengers, but no casualties had been reported.

Ferries and boats are a main mode of transportation between island resorts in southern Thailand.

Overcrowding and poorly enforced safety standards mean accidents are common, especially during the rainy season.