Thai Boat Accident: Efforts to retrieve body as death toll hits 47

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01:59

Efforts are continuing to retrieve the final body from the Thailand boat disaster. Divers will make a further attempt to release a body trapped under the hull of the pleasure boat, which sank in 45 meters of water during a storm at Phuket. A total of 47 Chinese holidaymakers drowned – and a Chinese diving team has been at the forefront of rescue operations, as CGTN's Martin Lowe explains.

Conditions for the divers have been difficult from the beginning. On some days the sea has been too rough - and diving has had to be cancelled.

But Chinese groups have been assisting the rescue and recovery operation throughout. This team is from the Chinese Ministry of Transport in Guangzhou.

They traveled from China to Phuket, arriving shortly after the pleasure boat Phoenix sank.

The team has been heavily involved in work to release bodies from the sunken boat - now they're also helping to prepare for when the wreck can be brought to the surface.

WANG RENYI, DIRECTOR OCEAN ENGINEERING CENTER, GUANGZHOU "We are getting everything ready. We will use a pump to remove sand from the cabin and we will investigate throughout the rest of the boat."

The Chinese divers have been working with the Thai navy and civilian rescue volunteers. All have been involved in drawing up the salvage plans.

WANG RENYI, DIRECTOR OCEAN ENGINEERING CENTER, GUANGZHOU "The biggest setback is the weather, out at sea it is windy and there are still big waves, but it is improving and we are making progress."

MARTIN LOWE PHUKET "Though it's been frustrating for the divers, sometimes to travel out to the wreck site and then find the weather is too bad to continue, they've stuck to the task. The Thai authorities have thanked the Chinese specialists for their help."

The divers say they've been spurred-on by the sight of the Chinese family members of the victims, who've come here to Thailand following the tragedy, and Chinese holidaymakers, who paid respect and they're determined to do all they can to help discover how and why the accident happened. Martin Lowe, CGTN Phuket.