Tourism News

Tourism News Phuketwan Tourism News
facebook recommendations

NEWS ALERTS

Sign up now for our News Alert emails and the latest breaking news plus new features.

Click to subscribe

Existing subscribers can unsubscribe here

RSS FEEDS

US Surfer Dies After Lifeguards Pull Two from Water at Phuket Beaches

Sunday, July 7, 2013
UPDATING All Day, Every Day

An American man has died at Patong Hospital after being pulled from the surf at Kata beach late on Sunday. The man, aged 60, was revived and appeared to have survived drowning but collapsed on the beach. Phuketwan has been given a name but is withholding it until relatives have been notified.

Original Report

PHUKET: A Western surfboard rider is being treated in the emergency ward at Patong Hospital tonight after he almost drowned at Phuket's Kata beach today.

About the same time as the man was being pulled from the water, lifeguards further south at Nai Harn beach were rescuing a 13-year-old Thai girl. The girl, pulled from a section of the beach where a rip pulls swimmers out to sea, was being kept in Vachira Phuket Hospital tonight in Phuket City for observation.

Lifeguards were called into action at both beaches about 6pm, although it was a red flag day - a day in which swimming is banned in theory - at both beaches.

The man at Kata had gone out on a surfboard and found himself in difficulties. Brought to the beach, he was revived by lifeguards and given oxygen. Then he suffered a relapse and was taken to hospital.

Five swimmers drowned at Phuket beaches in the space of four days late last month.

Comments

Comments have been disabled for this article.

gravatar

A different face a different name same unfortunate news every week thats so very avoidable.

Posted by slickmelb on July 8, 2013 05:42

gravatar

There were no red flags on Kata beach yesterday. Even as the lifeguards pulled him from the water, the flags were half red half yellow, meaning swim at your own risk. There were no red flags at Kata Beach yesterday.

Posted by fakename on July 8, 2013 10:51

Editor Comment:

There are yellow-red flags posted in pairs, which means ''swim between the red-yellow flags,'' and there are red flags. The lifeguards said the man was surfing in a red-flag zone.

gravatar

There were flags out in Nai Harn but I felt the undertow about 5:15 then got out

Posted by Michael on July 8, 2013 14:51

Editor Comment:

The lifeguards told us it was a day for rips not for turbulent surf, and the rips often appear to be the safest places to swim.

gravatar

The man at Kata Beach had actually helped lifeguards rescue 2 or 3 people while he was out surfing, and it seems he had a heart attack. The lifeguards did their best to save him and were so sad that he passed away. There WERE red flags at Kata beach, they have sections that are closed also, the lifeguards are on constant patrol whistling and trying to stop people going swimming where they shouldn't - they do a fantastic job and get paid very little, my hat goes off to them.

Posted by Anonymous on July 8, 2013 21:22

gravatar

I agree the lifeguards do their best with very low pay to keep crazy " Farang" out of the rip currents. Missing from the report is some interesting facts. A Doctor tried to assist when they waited 10 minutes to perform CPR and was Kung Fu'd by the lead lifeguard. It took 25 or more minutes for EMS to arrive. I was 5 meters away watching the man was not breathing at all! He was clearly in cardiac arrest as they were doing chest compressions with Mouth to mouth. Where was the AED? Surely Kata Beach Resort had one? Why did the EMS not have an AED on arrival? Unfortunate.

Posted by Anonymous on July 10, 2013 11:52

gravatar

@Anon

Would you provide more details of the events you describe. You remained 5 meters away and did not attempt to discuss options with the lifeguard even when you saw a doctor in need of assistance?

ALL: Please take notice that when someone has been saved from the water and every time that CPR has been required, it is extremely important that the victim still be escorted to an ER immediately for a follow-up.

Posted by Concerned & What? on October 19, 2013 16:42


Friday March 29, 2024
Horizon Karon Beach Resort & Spa

FOLLOW PHUKETWAN

Facebook Twitter