Phuket, Thailand— Four passengers were hospitalized with severe burns after the engine of a tourist speedboat exploded and set the vessel on fire on October 21, 2025.
The boat was carrying 12 tourists and two crew members from Phuket to a nearby island when the blast ripped through the stern. Witnesses said they heard a loud pop, then saw black smoke. Flames shot up from the engine bay. People jumped to avoid the heat.
The sea was calm. The boat was about 20 minutes out of port. According to the captain, the temperature gauge spiked just before the explosion. He cut the throttle. Seconds later fuel vapor ignited. The hull filled with smoke in less than a minute.
Other tour boats in the area moved in first. They pulled passengers from the water and from the bow of the burning craft. Thai Maritime Enforcement and rescue volunteers arrived with fire extinguishers but the fiberglass hull was already melting. The boat burned down to the waterline.
All four injured were foreign tourists, seated closest to the engine compartment. Doctors at Vachira Phuket Hospital said they suffered second and third-degree burns on arms, legs and faces. One is on a ventilator. The remaining passengers were treated for smoke inhalation and shock.
“The engine was serviced last week. We followed all checks,” the boat operator told police at the pier. Investigators are not accepting that at face value. They seized maintenance logs, fuel samples and the remains of the outboard motors for inspection.
Phuket’s tourist boat industry has faced repeated safety warnings. Last year two similar fires led to temporary suspensions. Officials said this vessel was licensed and carried extinguishers and life jackets, but questions persist about overloading and fuel handling on high-speed boats pushed hard in peak season.
The marine department has grounded the company’s other boats pending inspection. The port chief said, “We will check every engine, every fuel line. No boat leaves until it clears.” The investigation now centers on whether a fuel leak, overheating, or improper modification caused the blast.
The victims remain in intensive care. Their families have been notified. The burned hull has been towed to Phuket for evidence storage.
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