Eighteen passengers were injured by an explosion and fire aboard a passenger ferry on the Chumphon-Koh Tao route, in the sea about 5 kilometres off the Chumphon coast, on Wednesday afternoon.
Police and rescue workers raced to help injured passengers off the burning boat, near Koh Ka in tambon Hat Sairee, in Chumphon. The injured mostly suffered burns.
Other passengers jumped into the sea.
There was an explosion on the ferry, operated by Lomprayah Co, around 2.30pm.
Police said the engine exploded. The fire spread from there, Thai media reported.
