Blast on Bangkok River Taxi Injures over 50
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – More than 50 passengers were injured early Saturday when the engine of a Bangkok water taxi exploded as the boat approached its dock, police said.
The boat was ferrying about 70 passengers on an early morning route through the city's canals in a neighborhood on the eastern outskirts of the capital, said police Lt. Col. Chaithanan Jirapiyaset, AP reported.
He said the explosion occurred as the boat reached the Wat Thepleela Pier, causing panic that prompted several people to jump into the water for safety.
The city's Erawan medical emergency center said that 58 people were injured, including two that were badly scalded. There were no reports of deaths and authorities said most passengers were believed to be Thai but they could not immediately confirm their nationalities.
The boat was one of many commuter vessels that ply the city's canals and waterways. Many of the boats are old and often overcrowded but accidents are not common.
