The 4,000-ton Belgium-flagged ship from Brussels arrived at the Phuket Deep Sea Port at about 10am, Phuket Marine Office Director Wiwat Chitchertwong confirmed.
The Belle was towed back to Phuket by the HTMS Sriracha, which was dispatched by the Royal Thai Navy Third Area Command at Cape Panwa to render assistance this morning. (See story here.)
The tourists were taken to the Novotel Phuket Phokeethra in Phuket Town, where they will stay until they are flown to Singapore, explained Pramok Urawan of Phuket Shipping Co Ltd.
The tourists on board were on a cruise organised Asian Trials Co Ltd, he said.
Mr Pramok raised concerns that the underwater rock that the cruise liner struck, tearing a hole in the ship’s mid-port section under the waterline, was not marked on navigation charts.
“There was no mark of any underwater rocks in the area on the navigation map. Local people know about it, but foreigners don’t, so the accident happened,” he said.
Phuket Shipping Co Ltd will organise the immediate repairs to be made to the ship at the Phuket Deep Sea Port before it is taken to Singapore for more comprehensive repairs, Mr Pramok explained.
Phuket Marine Office Chief Mr Wiwat said that navy divers will inspect the damage and assist with the immediate repairs.
“The ship will stay at the Deep Sea Port for about a week while the repairs are completed,” he said.
Additional reporting by Eakkapop Thongtub