Forty-nine people are missing after a boat carrying 97 people, including Chinese tourists and Thai crew, capsized in rough seas off Thailand’s tourist island of Phuket.

Thailand is in the middle of its monsoon season which brings with it adverse weather conditions.

“Right now we are still looking for 49 people. We have helped 48 people from the capsized boat. We have sent boats to help,” Rear Admiral Somnuk Prempramote, commander of the Royal Thai Navy Region 3, said on Thursday.

“They were all wearing life jackets,” he added.

The boat was one of three to encounter difficulties at sea in the area on Thursday, the navy said.

Another two boats, including a yacht carrying 39 people, also capsized but its passengers have been brought to safety.

The Bangkok Post showed photos of people rescued from one of the boats in a large life raft at sea, with a fishing boat and churning water in the background.

Some tourists are rescued after their Pheonix boat sank near Koh Hae in Phuket.

Photo @fm91trafficpro pic.twitter.com/v2g9odFGoU

— Bangkok Post (@BangkokPostNews) July 5, 2018

Earlier, Phuket officials issued a warning of severe weather until next Tuesday including heavy rain and winds.

“All agencies are co-operating in their search at this time,” Phuket Governor Norraphat Plodthong said.

“We have given warnings … but the winds are strong.”

Thailand is already making international headlines after 12 boys and their junior soccer coach were found alive this week after becoming trapped inside a cave in the country’s north.

Rescuers found the boys after 10 days and a multinational rescue operation to extract the boys is still ongoing.