Thailand suspends Phuket boat salvage

BANGKOK • Thailand suspended efforts yesterday to salvage a boat that capsized and sank off its resort island of Phuket because the boat lay deep and currents were rough, officials said, putting the death toll in its worst tourist-related disaster in years at 46.

The Phoenix had 101 on board, including 89 tourists, all but two of them from China, when it went down in rough seas last Thursday during an outing to a small island. A total of 42 passengers and the crew of a dozen Thais were rescued.

REUTERS

China probing plane's emergency descent

SHANGHAI • Chinese authorities are investigating after an Air China aircraft made an emergency descent to 3,000m, during which oxygen masks were deployed, and then climbed again to continue on to its destination.

The north-east bureau of the Civil Aviation Administration said the Boeing 737 flight CA106 from Hong Kong to Dalian was cruising on Tuesday with 153 passengers and nine crew. No injuries were reported and the plane was not damaged.

REUTERS

N. Korean no-show for meeting with US

SEOUL • North Korean officials did not show up yesterday for a planned meeting with US counterparts to discuss returning the remains of American war dead, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported, in the latest sign of tensions.

US negotiators arrived at the militarised border between the two Koreas as previously announced by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and were kept waiting, Yonhap said, citing diplomatic officials it did not identify.

BLOOMBERG