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An Israeli was killed and another seriously injured on Tuesday, after a boat carrying nearly 60 foreign divers sank on its way back from a Thai island.

The Israeli casualty was identified as 27-year-old Acre resident Nissim Lugasi, who was spending his honeymoon in Thailand.

The "Dream Catcher," which was featured in the Hollywood film "The Beach," sank a mile off Koh Phi Phi Island in the Andaman Sea on its return from a diving trip for tourists, mainly Israelis and South Koreans.

The trip had been cut short by a heavy rain storm, officials said.

Israel Radio, quoting Thai media sources, said later that the boat had been designed to carry 20 passengers safely, but that the vessel was carrying as many as 60 at the time of the sinking.

"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.

The initial report on the sinking reached the Foreign Ministry situation room from a parent whose son was aboard the ferry. Israelis on board sent a partial list to the consulate of the citizens who were rescued. Foreign Ministry sources have asked that those seeking information call 02-5303155.

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