One Thai woman was killed Tuesday when a tourist boat capsized in heavy seas off Thailand's southern coast of Phuket.

The "Bubble Blue" tourist boat capsized Tuesday morning, as it was taking 19 Thai tourists from Phuket to dive near the Similan Islands.

Survivors were quoted by the Thai News Agency as saying that they had encountered heavy waves about 20 nautical miles from the coast, with water pouring onto the deck and eventually sinking the boat.

The passengers were forced to float at sea until they were rescued by a fishing boat, and a helicopter was called in to return the passengers to shore.

But one passenger was left in critical condition after the accident, and died some time later.

Tosak Wanitkachorn, director of the southeastern coastal meteorological center, warned that the southwestern monsoon was currently covering the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, and that boats should exercise caution.

(Xinhua News Agency June 8, 2005)