A British tourist is missing and feared dead after a fire tore through a diving boat off the coast of Thailand’s infamous ‘Death Island’. Backpacker Alexandra Clarke, 26, from Lambeth, South London, was reportedly trapped in the toilet when the wooden vessel, Davy Jones Locker, caught fire near Koh Tao on Sunday morning. The blaze is believed to have started in the engine room before rapidly spreading.
At least 16 tourists, along with two crew members and four diving instructors, were on board at the time. They were rescued by passing boats, but Alexandra remained unaccounted for as of Sunday afternoon. Police fear she may have been engulfed in flames or knocked unconscious by explosions. Compressed air tanks, pressurised to 3,000psi, and fuel on board are thought to have intensified the fire. The toilet, where Alexandra was last seen, is typically located at the back of the boat on the lower deck near the engine. Footage from the scene shows flames ripping through the wooden cabin as horrified holidaymakers on nearby boats looked on.
Captain Natthaphon Sinpoonphon, Deputy Director of the Thai Maritime Enforcement Command Center of Surat Thani, said: “The boat was carrying a group of tourists for a diving excursion from Koh Tao.
“It was between five and six nautical miles from the island when a fire started in the engine room and spread rapidly.”
Mr Sinpoonphon added that emergency services worked with private vessels to evacuate those on board while volunteers attempted to control the fire.
He said: “Preliminary reports indicate that the engine room, captain’s cabin, and rear restroom were damaged. The exact cause of the fire remains under investigation.”
Lieutenant Colonel Nattapol Sinpunphol, of the Surat Thani Marine Department, said rescue teams struggled to approach the burning boat due to the intensity of the flames and the risk of further explosions.
He said: “The search is continuing for one missing tourist, Alexandra Clarke, from the United Kingdom. Conditions at sea are dangerous with strong winds and currents. All boats in the area have been alerted.”
Koh Tao is a world-renowned scuba diving destination but has earned a notorious reputation due to the high number of unexplained tourist deaths. While dozens have been reported, the true figure is believed to be much higher, with many cases allegedly covered up to protect the island’s lucrative tourism industry.
One of the most infamous cases was the 2014 double murder of British backpackers Hannah Witheridge and David Miller, who were brutally killed on Sairee Beach. Two Burmese workers were later convicted, but concerns have been raised that they were scapegoats, with speculation that the real culprit was linked to a powerful local family.
Australian lawyer Ian Yarwood, who has long campaigned for justice in the case, has repeatedly warned tourists to steer clear of the island. He said: “Koh Tao is not a safe place for anyone to visit. The island is controlled by one or two powerful families, and the police work hard to cover up anything negative.”