Key Points
Several panicked passengers, aboard a night ferry that caught fire in the waters of Thailand on Thursday, jumped in the river to save themselves.P)..
All the 108 passengers aboard the ferry, where a raging fire broke out, were safely evacuated..
As the overnight ferry from Surat Thani province neared the island of Koh Tao, a well-known tourist hotspot off Thailand's coastline, one of the passengers aboard the vessel heard a distinct crackling noise and smelled smoke, as reported by AP..
. Footage captured passengers swiftly exiting the ferry's cabin while donning life vests, as dense black smoke engulfed the vessel..
Speaking to AP, Maitree Promjampa, a Surat Thani resident who takes the ferry regularly, saw the smoke and fire within five minutes..