Phuket’s lifeguards continue to be kept busy, with seemingly no shortage of tourists prepared to risk their lives by ignoring red flags on the island’s west coast beaches.
Yesterday alone, 8 tourists were saved from drowning, with lifeguards rescuing 4 Indian swimmers at Karon Beach and 4 Russians plucked out of the waves at Patong Beach. Both beaches had red flags flying to warn beachgoers of dangerous conditions but these were seemingly ignored. As were numerous direct verbal warnings about the conditions from the attendant lifeguards.
The Phuket Express reports that at around 2.15pm, emergency workers were alerted to 4 Indian tourists, pulled from the water by lifeguards and jet-ski operators at Karon Beach. The group, consisting of 2 men and 2 women, had got into difficultly struggling against strong waves. Three of them had to be taken to hospital.
Just half an hour later, rescue workers were notified that 4 Russian tourists had been rescued by lifeguards and jet-ski operators at Patong Beach.
In recent weeks, four people have drowned at Phuket beaches, the most recent being an American man and a Thai woman whose bodies were washed ashore at Mai Khao beach, in the north of the island, on Monday, June 17.
The day before, a Russian man drowned after ignoring red warning flags to go swimming at Surin Beach.
The week before, on Sunday, June 9, American James du Bois was swept out to sea while swimming at Nai Harn Beach, in the south of the island, with his family. His Thai wife managed to get out of the water and the couple’s 3 year old son was rescued by lifeguards. Mr Du Bois’s body was subsequently washed up on the beach two days later.
SOURCE: The Phuket Express
