German tourist in coma after ignoring red flag on Koh Phangan beach

[webfact]

German tourist in coma after ignoring red flag on Koh Phangan beach

 

Source: 77Jowo

 

77Jowo reported that a 47 year old German tourist on holiday with his family was in hospital in a coma after a dramatic rescue at Nai Han Yai beach on Koh Phangan yesterday afternoon.

 

Witnesses said that Heyros Jochen (name transliterated from Thai) had entered heavy seas at the beach where a red warning flag was flying.

 

Hotel staff and other tourists heard his cries for help and entered the sea to rescue him.

 

Medics from the Pangan branch of Bangkok - Koh Samui Hospital arrived and took him in to the hospital where he was reportedly in a coma.

 

77Jowo said they believed he suffered from cramp after fighting to stay afloat in the heavy seas.

 

Source: 77Jowo

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2018-01-12

[dinsdale]

No idea I would say. Wow look at the sea. Very heavy. Wonder what those red flags mean. Think I'll show off and go swimming. The sea earns the greatest of respect. Ignore at your own peril.

[AhFarangJa]

My hat goes off to the staff and tourists that risked their own lives to rescue him. 

[sweatalot]

1 hour ago, AhFarangJa said:

My hat goes off to the staff and tourists that risked their own lives to rescue him. 

Your ... hat?

[Stargeezr]

Another stupid tourist who tought that they were smarter than the people who put up the

red flags. Yes Congratulations to the local staff and other tourists who managed to

rescue this fool. If you do not know what red flags are for, well stay out of the water!

Geezer

[AhFarangJa]

9 hours ago, sweatalot said:

Your ... hat?

Obviously not an English speaker so please let me enlighten you ......

My hat's off to you

To take (one's) hat off (to someone) is an idiom that means "To respect, admire, or congratulate someone." Often heard as, "Hat's off to you!"

[observer90210]

One could just hope that he jumped into the sea because he did not see the red flag and not because he was stupid and ignored the warning.

 

Good however that nobody got drowned.

[dpdp]

30 minutes ago, observer90210 said:

One could just hope that he jumped into the sea because he did not see the red flag and not because he was stupid and ignored the warning.

 

Good however that nobody got drowned.

 

Next time instead of buying a swimming suit he should buy eyes, and maybe brain :-)

 

 

[balo]

He probably left his brain in his mother's womb when he was born . 

[dfdgfdfdgs]

13 hours ago, dinsdale said:

No idea I would say. Wow look at the sea. Very heavy.

 

The sea doesn't look very heavy to me.  I'm not sure if those waves would even go over the top of your head when you were swimming.

 

 

[soalbundy]

Ignoring red flags, I wonder if that negates his travel insurance, if so the hospital bill will finish off what the sea started

[yogavnture]

was he drunk

[Sir Dude]

The phrase "red flag" is widely known and when you really see one it should twig. 

[stevenl]

On 13/01/2018 at 9:25 AM, soalbundy said:

Ignoring red flags, I wonder if that negates his travel insurance, if so the hospital bill will finish off what the sea started

No, it doesn't invalidate travel insurance.

[gerritkaew]

On 1/12/2018 at 7:51 AM, dinsdale said:

No idea I would say. Wow look at the sea. Very heavy. Wonder what those red flags mean. Think I'll show off and go swimming. The sea earns the greatest of respect. Ignore at your own peril.

Not everyone knows what red flags mean. and the not always to see...

[InfinityandBeyond]

On 1/13/2018 at 3:33 AM, dfdgfdfdgs said:

 

The sea doesn't look very heavy to me.  I'm not sure if those waves would even go over the top of your head when you were swimming.

 

 

1 litre of water = 1kg. When that mass is moving, no matter how slowly or how high/low, it is a force to be reckoned with. F=ma. 

This doesn't take into account undertow or other contributing factors.  I.e. tides, weather, subsurface geology etc. 

Went boogie boarding in Portugal years ago in waves not much larger than those in the OP.  Took me forever to paddle out and "catch a wave." Only about 20-30 m. Caught my wave and was delivered safely to the beach, stood up in faux victory over Neptune,  then was smashed by a wave that slammed me face first into the sand and seashells, spun me round and dragged me out to where I started in seconds. Had I inhaled water, I wouldn't be making this post. 

Make no mistake about it. The sea is heavy. A massive force. Even on a good day. 

Speedy recovery to the German fellow. 

[arithai12]

2 hours ago, InfinityandBeyond said:

Speedy recovery to the German fellow. 

Considering this happened over 4 months ago, your definition of "speedy" intrigues me.

[soistalker]

He was having a good swim until a large piece of plastic from a Thai family's picnic got lodged in his throat.

[carmine]

If people are stupid enough to ignore a red flag then let the idiots get on with with, why should someone else have to risk their life to save people who won't even help themselves.....

[dinsdale]

On 5/30/2018 at 1:58 PM, gerritkaew said:

Not everyone knows what red flags mean. and the not always to see...

So do you think red means stop or go? Ok or not ok? This is universal.

 

[HAKAPALITA]

Thought he was off to Poland.

[bacwan]

On 1/12/2018 at 1:33 PM, dfdgfdfdgs said:

The sea doesn't look very heavy to me.  I'm not sure if those waves would even go over the top of your head when you were swimming.

From the photo, it's impossible to tell if there were any rip tides .

[The manic]

On 1/12/2018 at 5:46 PM, sweatalot said:

Your ... hat?

Its a term meaning praise or congratulations or thanks. It's English. The language of this forum 

[Aforek]

On ‎5‎/‎30‎/‎2018 at 10:00 PM, InfinityandBeyond said:

Make no mistake about it. The sea is heavy. A massive force. Even on a good day. 

 

Exact, even if waves seem light...two times, when I was younger and in a good shape, I almost drowned in the sea, I reached the beach completely exhausted 

[Aforek]

On ‎1‎/‎13‎/‎2018 at 2:16 AM, AhFarangJa said:

Obviously not an English speaker so please let me enlighten you ......

My hat's off to you

To take (one's) hat off (to someone) is an idiom that means "To respect, admire, or congratulate someone." Often heard as, "Hat's off to you!"

Thanks for this English lesson ?; in French we have almost the same ; " je vous tire mon chapeau " 

[HooHaa]

A more pertinent question would be where the hell is nai han yai beach.

 

20 yesrs experience on phangan, and it is new to me.

[PoorSucker]

5 hours ago, HooHaa said:

A more pertinent questxion would be where the hell is nai han yai beach.

 

20 yesrs experience on phangan, and it is new to me.

As this thread is from January, it's time to close it. 

It's transcription from Thai, think they mean Thongh nai pan yai.