Dive boat sinks off Thai tourist island, 1 dead

BANGKOK, Sep 4 (Reuters) A boat carrying nearly 60 foreign divers back from a Thai island featured in the Hollywood film ''The Beach'' sank today, killing one Israeli and injuring two, Thai officials said. The ''Dream Catcher'' sank a mile off Phi Phi Island in the Andaman Sea on its return from a diving trip for tourists, mainly Israelis and South Koreans, cut short by a heavy rain storm, officials told Reuters by telephone.

Police identified the dead man as 26-year-old Nissin Lugasi, but were unable to give further details.

Both injured victims were men, one of whom was cut on both legs by the propeller, a nurse at a hospital emergency unit told Reuters.

''I was told the boat sank while it was making a turn near an island, allowing the water to flow in and sink it,'' Suriya Kittimonton, head of the southern marine transport authority said.

The owner of the boat told him it had a capacity of 60 passengers and 28 female and 27 male tourists and four crew were aboard when it sank, Suriya said.

Police said they were interviewing the boat owner and driver and the crew, but had not filed any charge against them.

REUTERS PD BD1801