TOURIST Gheorghe Paulivc, who was pulled from the sea on Phuket on Tuesday, the first morning of his holiday, died today in Bangkok Hospital Phuket.
A hospital spokesperson said the Romanian visitor died at 5.06am. ''He was still on the life-support system,'' Phuketwan was told.
Mr Paulivc arrived on Phuket with five friends on Monday night, and they visited Karon beach in the dark because everyone was keen to swim.
They decided to wait until daylight, when they took to the water for their long-anticipated beach holiday. Within the first hour of being on the beach, Mr Paulivc had been swept into trouble.
Soon after, the struggle began to save him. Doctors fought to save his life first at Patong Hospital, closest to Karon, then at Bangkok Hospital Phuket in Phuket City, on the other side of the island.
Mr Paulivc, aged 36, ran several successful retail outlets in the Romanian capital, Bucharest.
One of his travelling companions, his good friend Mihai Iorgulescu, gave Phuketwan a full account of what happened at Karon beach: ''There were a lot of people already in the sea and that gave us courage to go in because it was quite nice. The waves were small.
''We arrived the night before and it was our first entry into the sea. We'd been in the water, cooling off a bit. We were laughing and it was fun. There were a lot of waves.
''All of a sudden, I found myself going on the left side [being pulled left by the current.] I looked for my friend and he was around 20 metres into the sea. He was swimming, but in a chaotic way.
''Not moving at all, just swimming in the same place, not going right or left. I saw that he had problems. I went to him and I asked him 'How are you?' 'Not good.' That's the only conversation we had.
''I kept talking to him, saying 'OK, let's take you a little bit to the shore.' I grabbed him and I took him and at this time I was into the water, then up, into the water, then up. I simply could not stand. He is a big fellow. I grabbed him.
''The waves started again, the water was above my head, and he kept dragging me down, dragging me down. I saw one guy and a girl on the beach and I shouted at him to come and help me.
''They were just staring at me, not doing anything, just staring, for two or three minutes. I carried him a little bit but it was really hard. He is big and we were swimming two metres to shore than a wave would come and carry us back 10 metres into the sea.
''I looked to see the distance to shore. He was 10 or 15 metres into the sea. I said 'I am trying to get to shore now to get some help. Try to keep on the surface.' My head was spinning all over.
''I swam and I swam. It was the most difficult thing that I have ever done in my life, trying to get to the shore.
'''The funny thing was, I was swimming and he was swept along, just behind me, with his belly into the water. He was just behind me, floating.
''We got him to the shore.
''A guy gave him some cardiac pressure but no lifeguard, up to 10 minutes minimum, I think. An ambulance came so late, I mean, in 15 or 20 minutes, which is crucial.
''He [the paramedic/doctor]got a pulse. On the way to the first hospital, he lost it again.
''The doctor kept on for 30 minutes to save him and give him cardiac and eventually, he got a little bit of pulse. Later he was transferred here [from Patong Hospital to Bangkok Hospital Phuket.]
'The problem is, we were never told and we didn't know the fact that the tide was so dangerous. Sure, there was a red flag, but it was miles away. And all the people were into the sea. There was no warning from the resort, either.''
With four-kilometres of Karon to patrol, the 13 lifeguards are nowhere near the number required. So they operate in ''pods'' and advise people to swim between the flags, or not at all on red-flag days.
''We were never warned. We just saw a sign saying the yellow flag means that, the red flag means that, and the combined flag means that. It was like a banner.
''Afterwards, everyone started talking about it, saying there were many people who had died there. 'Five people were dead last week,' and so on. But we didn't realise it was dangerous.
''We came for a beach holiday. We knew it was the low season, the rainy season, I read once that the water is a bit restless, but it was not something we remembered.
''He has zero chance now. We were hoping that something would improve but everyone here at the hospital said he had no chance whatsoever. We tried, until the end.''
The six friends were due to fly to Bangkok on July 30 for a few days' sightseeing before heading back to Romania. The Romanian Embassy is helping with arrangements.
Auten Singsom, head of the Karon beach lifeguards, has been with the friends at the hospital. He said at the time of the incident, four lifeguards were helping four other people in trouble in the sea, 800 metres away.
They ran to assist when they learned of the second incident.
Phuket Drownings: How Life Ebbs Away on Karon BeachA hospital spokesperson said the Romanian visitor died at 5.06am. ''He was still on the life-support system,'' Phuketwan was told.
Mr Paulivc arrived on Phuket with five friends on Monday night, and they visited Karon beach in the dark because everyone was keen to swim.
They decided to wait until daylight, when they took to the water for their long-anticipated beach holiday. Within the first hour of being on the beach, Mr Paulivc had been swept into trouble.
Soon after, the struggle began to save him. Doctors fought to save his life first at Patong Hospital, closest to Karon, then at Bangkok Hospital Phuket in Phuket City, on the other side of the island.
Mr Paulivc, aged 36, ran several successful retail outlets in the Romanian capital, Bucharest.
One of his travelling companions, his good friend Mihai Iorgulescu, gave Phuketwan a full account of what happened at Karon beach: ''There were a lot of people already in the sea and that gave us courage to go in because it was quite nice. The waves were small.
''We arrived the night before and it was our first entry into the sea. We'd been in the water, cooling off a bit. We were laughing and it was fun. There were a lot of waves.
''All of a sudden, I found myself going on the left side [being pulled left by the current.] I looked for my friend and he was around 20 metres into the sea. He was swimming, but in a chaotic way.
''Not moving at all, just swimming in the same place, not going right or left. I saw that he had problems. I went to him and I asked him 'How are you?' 'Not good.' That's the only conversation we had.
''I kept talking to him, saying 'OK, let's take you a little bit to the shore.' I grabbed him and I took him and at this time I was into the water, then up, into the water, then up. I simply could not stand. He is a big fellow. I grabbed him.
''The waves started again, the water was above my head, and he kept dragging me down, dragging me down. I saw one guy and a girl on the beach and I shouted at him to come and help me.
''They were just staring at me, not doing anything, just staring, for two or three minutes. I carried him a little bit but it was really hard. He is big and we were swimming two metres to shore than a wave would come and carry us back 10 metres into the sea.
''I looked to see the distance to shore. He was 10 or 15 metres into the sea. I said 'I am trying to get to shore now to get some help. Try to keep on the surface.' My head was spinning all over.
''I swam and I swam. It was the most difficult thing that I have ever done in my life, trying to get to the shore.
'''The funny thing was, I was swimming and he was swept along, just behind me, with his belly into the water. He was just behind me, floating.
''We got him to the shore.
''A guy gave him some cardiac pressure but no lifeguard, up to 10 minutes minimum, I think. An ambulance came so late, I mean, in 15 or 20 minutes, which is crucial.
''He [the paramedic/doctor]got a pulse. On the way to the first hospital, he lost it again.
''The doctor kept on for 30 minutes to save him and give him cardiac and eventually, he got a little bit of pulse. Later he was transferred here [from Patong Hospital to Bangkok Hospital Phuket.]
'The problem is, we were never told and we didn't know the fact that the tide was so dangerous. Sure, there was a red flag, but it was miles away. And all the people were into the sea. There was no warning from the resort, either.''
With four-kilometres of Karon to patrol, the 13 lifeguards are nowhere near the number required. So they operate in ''pods'' and advise people to swim between the flags, or not at all on red-flag days.
''We were never warned. We just saw a sign saying the yellow flag means that, the red flag means that, and the combined flag means that. It was like a banner.
''Afterwards, everyone started talking about it, saying there were many people who had died there. 'Five people were dead last week,' and so on. But we didn't realise it was dangerous.
''We came for a beach holiday. We knew it was the low season, the rainy season, I read once that the water is a bit restless, but it was not something we remembered.
''He has zero chance now. We were hoping that something would improve but everyone here at the hospital said he had no chance whatsoever. We tried, until the end.''
The six friends were due to fly to Bangkok on July 30 for a few days' sightseeing before heading back to Romania. The Romanian Embassy is helping with arrangements.
Auten Singsom, head of the Karon beach lifeguards, has been with the friends at the hospital. He said at the time of the incident, four lifeguards were helping four other people in trouble in the sea, 800 metres away.
They ran to assist when they learned of the second incident.
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It is a terrible tragedy but for the first time maybe an accurate account of what really happens at the beaches here on Phuket, at least up to the point were the story says the four life guards were helping other people in trouble at the same time.
RIP
Posted by mike on July 22, 2010 16:47