Search continues for two Filipino tourists washed away by waves in Phuket 

By The Nation

 

 

Officials are continuing to search for two tourists from the Philippines, who were washed out to sea by big waves at the Freedom Beach in Phuket.

 

A group of some 12 Filipino tourists visited the Freedom Beach, which is located between Tambon Karon in Muang district and Tambon Patong in Krathu district and went into the water despite strong winds and big waves. Two of them were swept away by a big wave and have been missing since Wednesday evening.

 

Lifeguards from the nearby Patong Beach and rescuers from the Kusol Tham Phuket foundation rushed to search for the two but the search was cancelled when night fell and the waves reached two metres high.

 

Officials and Patong Bay Watch volunteers resumed the search Thursday morning in two boats. The search was called off after two hours as the waves were too high. There has so far been no sighting of the two missing tourists.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30373175

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2019-07-18

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Waves don,t wash you out, but rip currents do, and very quickly !

I bet no red warning flags or any lifesavers patrolling the beach.. 

Incidents like this reported in the news and social media do little to help the declining tourism industry in Thailand and particularly Phuket.. 

Admittedly I might be going out on a limb, but I reckon this is worse for Thailand’s image than a couple of suckers getting charged 3000 baht for a taxi ride.... and with the ongoing debacle over lifeguards in Phuket, it can hardly surprise anyone.