UPDATE
POLICE have named the dead man as Olivier Raymond Philippe Jannequin, 42. Officers say he was struck on the head and shoulders while snorkelling by a speedboat that kept going.
Original Report
PHUKET: A Frenchman on a snorkelling outing off the popular holiday island of Phi Phi was hit and killed by a speedboat yesterday, police confirmed today.
The dead man was an expat resident on Phi Phi, which lies about 80 minutes by ferry from Phuket, local authorities said. The tragedy occurred about lunchtime.
Phi Phi officials tried to send the body to the mainland of Krabi province by boat yesterday but were halted by high waves, a spokesman for the Chao Fa Krabi Rescue Centre said.
Another attempt to transfer the body to Krabi Hospital in Krabi Town will be made today, added the centre's director, Nitipat Mongkhonprasit.
Police say that they have yet to learn details of the tragedy.
Officers hope to interview companions who were with the dead man later today, said Lieutenant Wisawa Senghar.
In June, Canadian-French sisters Audrey and Noemi Belanger were found dead in their Phi Phi resort room from an as-yet unexplained toxic reaction. Results of double autopsies in Thailand and Canada have not been revealed.
One Frenchman was seriously burned in Friday morning's Tiger Bar disco inferno on Phuket and another is believed to have been among the four as-yet unidentified dead.
Two Frenchmen are also among the eight drownings at Phuket's west coast beaches since mid-May.
When a Russian swimmer was struck on the leg and seriously injured by a speedboat at a Phuket beach last year, the official responsible for controlling speedboats and jet-skis off Phuket described it as ''natural.''
please can you tell me more about the guy; name please, could be a friend of mine thanks.
Posted by serge on August 19, 2012 11:36
Editor Comment:
As the article says, details are not yet available. Please be patient. The man's family will need to be notified first.