Swedish family upset about boat capsize report

Along-tail tour boat carrying nine Swedish passengers and a Thai boat driver, Manit Saroj, capsized in the sea outside Hong Island, Krabi province, Thailand on 5 February 2023.

Thai media, MGR Online, who had the details from the police, reported that the driver had explained that the accident happened because the tourists went to stand on the same side of the boat to get their pictures taken.

One of the Swedish victims, Idige Rantanen, got very upset when she learned how Thai media had reported about her family and the incident.

She explained in a comment to the story on ScandAsia, that all passengers were seated properly and nobody were taking any photos as described in the news. She said the reason the boat overturned was because the boat driver took a “too small, fast, and sharp turn” before he lost control of the steering stick.

“The boat fell over completely. We all get trapped inside under the upside down boat. We are a family of nine. We all managed to save ourselves, luckily no one passed out. My husband also saved the driver’s little boy who could not swim,” Idige Rantanen added.

After everyone was up in the open air, a nearby boat came to hand them lifejackets and took them to the shore.

Idige Rantanen added that that police did not discuss what happened with her group at all, they only asked about their lost belongings.

ScandAsia offered Idige Rantanen to publish more details of the event as experienced by the Swedish family, but she said her family would rather be left alone.