Thai authorities Tuesday put the death toll from Sunday’s boat sinking accident to 27, with two people still missing, China’s Xinhua news agency reported, citing local media. According to Thairath, six more bodies including an eight-year-old boy were found on Tuesday morning from the Chao Phraya River in central Thailand’s Ayutthaya province about 5 kilometres away from where the accident occurred at Sanamchai Temple. 

A female and a male are still missing. Of the 27 victims who died from drowning at the scene and at Ayutthaya hospital, 20 were female, and seven were male. Meanwhile more than 50 passengers were injured. The boat on Sunday was reportedly carrying about 150 Thai Muslims heading to a mosque in Ayutthaya for an annual religious rite in the northern province Nonthaburi, while it was licensed to carry only 50. 

A video clip of the accident shows the two-level ferry foundered after crashing into a concrete berm. The searching operation is still under way in strong wind and rushing currents. 

Officials said the boat operator arrested on Monday is charged with recklessness resulting in death and injury as well as overloading the vessel with too many passengers. Police said the boat operator admitted that most of the passengers were not wearing life vests on the boat.

(NST)