Fears grow for Millie Young, a 56-year-old British artist, missing off the Surin Islands. An empty life raft discovered adds urgency. Authorities fear she and the Thai cook may be trapped inside the sunken vessel.
The search off Phang-nga and the Surin Islands National Park continues for the missing passengers of the tour boat that sank last Saturday. Authorities fear the boat’s cook and a now identified UK foreign tourist may have been trapped on the vessel as she went down amid the chaos and confusion of a subsequent rescue at sea. Missing friends and family are waiting anxiously for news of Millie Young, an artist who lived both in Thailand and the United Kingdom before a family Christmas reunion turned into a heartbreaking tragedy. The sighting of an empty rescue boat at sea on Christmas Day is being analysed by Thai rescuers.
In a harrowing story, for friends and family in the United Kingdom, the missing 56-year-old foreign tourist referred to by Thai rescue services since Saturday morning has taken on an identity.
At length, she is Ms Millie Young, a British artist and university lecturer. The incident occurred in Phang-nga province on a snorkelling adventure.
Reports of the sunken boat first emerged on Saturday last, December 23rd.
Millie was on a Christmas holiday snorkelling expedition with just reunited friends and family when tragedy struck in the early hours of December 23rd
She went missing after the tour boat she was on sank near the Surin Islands in southern Thailand.
Previously, Millie was part of a group of friends on a dream diving trip aboard the ‘Reggae Queen’.
Later, after travelling at night and in the early hours of Saturday morning, the vessel succumbed to enormous waves.
Afterwards, while most passengers were rescued by a passing fishing boat, Millie, along with a Thai crew member, was lost. She is feared to have either been swept away by the unforgiving sea or remained trapped in the boat.
After that, 16 people were taken off the stricken vessel including 12 foreign tourists in a daring rescue. The incident took place approximately 4 km off the Surin Islands National Park in Phang-nga.
Fears for the lives of a female foreign tourist and boat cook lost at sea on Saturday off Phang-nga province
Stormy seas spark chaos and disruption as air and sea searches continue for those missing at sea in the South
The incident unfolded just two days before Christmas, casting a shadow over what was supposed to be a joyous holiday.
Millie’s friends, including British family friends Jo and Phillip Degregorio as well as their children Oksa and Daisy, were among those successfully pulled to safety.
However, Millie and the Thai cook, Samniang Chaichana, 67, remain missing, prompting a desperate search operation.
Empty life raft located on Christmas Day by search teams. It is not clear how it was deployed at sea and this is being probed by Thai search officials
A significant development in the search occurred on Christmas Day.
An empty life raft was discovered floating over 20 miles away from the site of the sinking. Regardless, the disconcerting discovery only intensified concerns for Millie’s safety.
The inflatable raft recovered amidst the vast sea has become a focal point in the ongoing investigation into the mysterious disappearance of the British tourist.
Millie’s social media activity in the days leading up to the tragedy paints a poignant picture. It details her last moments in Thailand. Her posts showcased the idyllic beauty of the Surin Islands and her enjoyment of the tropical paradise.
In the most recent post, she shared a photo of herself in a salon with friends and another featuring a kayak, captioned ‘new toes n a kayak adventure.’
Huge search at sea as dozens of boats and aircraft scoured waters off the Surin Islands National Park
As the search for Millie continues, rescue teams, including dozens of boats and a helicopter, are navigating the challenging waters around the Surin Islands.
The goal is to locate any signs of the missing Briton and, potentially, the sunken vessel.
The use of sonar technology has been enlisted in the search to determine the precise location of the Reggae Queen.
Navy Chief Pichet Songtan expressed the search mission’s dedication to finding the sunken ship swiftly, stating: ’The rescue committee is working to find the sunken ship as quickly as possible. We believe that the missing people are trapped inside.’
Fears that Millie and the crew member might be confined within the vessel have sparked anxiety. It brings a sense of urgency to the search operation.
Passengers awakened as huge waves halted the boat at sea. The storm put it in imminent peril in the early hours last Saturday. A chaotic rescue followed
The tragic incident unfolded as the Reggae Queen faced turbulent waves, resulting in the ship taking on water and eventually sinking.
There are reports that the boat was forced to stop at sea. Waves as high as three metres were encountered in a frightening storm.
Passengers were abruptly awakened, and life rafts were deployed, leading to the rescue of most on board.
However, the circumstances surrounding Millie’s disappearance indicate that she and the Thai crew member may not have been able to evacuate successfully.
The discovery of the empty life raft, 20 nautical miles away from the sinking site, adds complexity to the search and raises questions about the events that transpired after the vessel capsized.
Authorities are meticulously looking at this development. There is still hope it may provide crucial insights into Millie’s whereabouts and the fate of the missing crew member.
Artist and lecturer lived in both Thailand and the UK. Millie had just met her family in Bangkok before bringing them South to enjoy the idyllic paradise
Millie has been a resident of Thailand since 2007, dividing her time between the Southeast Asian kingdom and the UK. Known for her artistic pursuits, she had recently reunited with family members at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport.
Afterwards, the family group embarked on the ill-fated trip to the Surin Islands.
The tragedy has left friends and family devastated. In Britain and Thailand, they desperately await news of her safety and the fate of the missing crew member.
Conditions at sea during November and December in southern Thailand are notoriously treacherous. They are marked by strong currents, powerful waves, and heavy rain.
Despite the allure of Thai islands for diving and snorkelling, safety concerns persist due to the ageing and often unregulated nature of many vessels.
Earlier in the week, last Thursday, there was another incident also off Phang-nga. In another maritime scare, scores of passengers were rescued from a sinking ferry travelling to Ko Tao Island.
Daughter of the boat’s cook feared for her mother because she could not swim. It was her first thought when she heard the terrible news on Saturday last
In the wake of the tragedy, Sunee Panpeng, the daughter of the missing ship’s cook, expressed her concern for her mother, saying: ‘When I was told that the ship had sunk, I was immediately worried about my mother because she cannot swim. We can only pray that she will be found. Now I am waiting for a miracle.’
The rescue committee, comprising the 3rd Naval Area Command, Thai-MECC Region 3, and the Surin Islands National Park, is orchestrating an extensive search on the surface, on the beach, and from the air. Nearby vessels are also cooperating in the search efforts.
However, the missing persons are feared to be stuck inside the ship, unable to escape its watery depths.
UK Foreign Office in contact with Thai authorities
Governor Supoj Rodruang Na Nongkhai emphasised the commitment of all available resources to finding the missing duo. He stated: ‘The missing people include a British woman and a Thai member of the crew. We are putting all of our resources into finding them. All fishing boats and tourist boats in the area have been instructed to look for the tourists while they are at sea.’
The UK Foreign Office is in contact with local authorities in Thailand.
In the meantime, the international community is closely following developments in the search for Millie Young and the missing Thai crew member.
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