German tourist killed, struck by parasail speedboat propeller, off Kamala

[rooster59]

German tourist killed, struck by parasail speedboat propeller, off Kamala

By Eakkapop Thongtub

 

The parasail speedboat was heading back to shore when the accident occurred at about 4pm. Photo: Kamala Police
 

PHUKET: A 63-year-old German tourist died this afternoon (Nov 22) after he was struck by a speedboat propeller while swimming off Kamala Beach.
 

Thalang Police Chief Col Sompong Thiparpakul reported that the accident occurred just before 4pm.

 

Col Sompong identified the tourist as Helmut Prock, 63, originally from Dietfurt an der Altmühl in the Bavaria region.

Full story: https://www.thephuketnews.com/german-tourist-killed-struck-by-parasail-speedboat-propeller-off-kamala-73720.php#osM27iKxsEd5ZoVw.97

 

-- © Copyright Phuket News 2019-11-23

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[jastheace]

again... very sad

nothing will be learned... also sad

[PatOngo]

Phuket authorities should be well versed in dealing with tourist fatalities, it has become an almost daily occurrence!

[ezzra]

Anywhere else the compensations for such tragedy will be very big, let's us now sit watch and wait how the people responsible will try to wiggle themselves out of admitting culpability and paying for it...

[madmen]

55 minutes ago, ezzra said:

Anywhere else the compensations for such tragedy will be very big, let's us now sit watch and wait how the people responsible will try to wiggle themselves out of admitting culpability and paying for it...

Did you even read the full article? 

[fruitman]

Almost every day a tourist dies in Phuket... on the water or on the road....and the authorities do nothing.

[Matzzon]

2 hours ago, jastheace said:

again... very sad

nothing will be learned... also sad

What should be learned? The only thing to be learned is that you do not swim outside a designated area and make yourself invisible at the same place that speedboats enter and leave the area.

Sad accident, but I guess the german made all the bad choices.
 

1 hour ago, ezzra said:

Anywhere else the compensations for such tragedy will be very big, let's us now sit watch and wait how the people responsible will try to wiggle themselves out of admitting culpability and paying for it...

Read above. What kind of compensations are you reaching for? You do know that the tourist is not always right because he have a flight ticket and are spending money in the country, right?

[Matzzon]

2 minutes ago, fruitman said:

Almost every day a tourist dies in Phuket... on the water or on the road....and the authorities do nothing.

What should the authorities do in this case? Put up a sign togheter with the already visible line in the middle of the water?

[UncleMhee]

Same thing happen....... accident; everywhere in the world. What you want authorities to do? Have special baby sitter for every tourist!

[fruitman]

30 minutes ago, Matzzon said:

What should the authorities do in this case? Put up a sign togheter with the already visible line in the middle of the water?

Now the boat driver has to pay 10 million to the family of the german tourist.

[RichardColeman]

Mr Abhisit told police that Mr Prock was submerged, causing him to not see the tourist in the water.

 

Yeah, cause he was

[pattjock]

I'm not sure about this case but everywhere I see parasail activity there is only one guy in the speedboat. There is no way he can keep an eye on the water in front of him and the person in the parasail. How the authorities can allow this practice is beyond belief.

 

[madmitch]

The entire article is biased in favour of the speedboat driver. Yet why should these parasailing operations have priority over swimmers and sunbathers? Oh yes, they pay the right people!

[tifino]

looks like a clear cut decision will result here? 

 

 

can't blame brakes, not balconies...

[steelepulse]

5 minutes ago, madmitch said:

The entire article is biased in favour of the speedboat driver. Yet why should these parasailing operations have priority over swimmers and sunbathers? Oh yes, they pay the right people!

I agree.  Why do these clowns get the right to operate off of popular beaches?  

 

[pattjock]

The roped off area for swimmers means that no boats are allowed inside this area. Anyone is allowed to swim outside this area.

 

The driver of the boat have to keep an eye on where he is going AT ALL TIMES, he can not keep an eye on the person behind him as well.

 

Agree that there are some people taking great risks swimming far off the beach, outside protected areas, taking great risks but in the end it is up to the boat driver to not hit anyone no matter where.

[tifino]

it's more of which argument the Thais use?

 

 

is a wall built to keep prisoner In, or to keep intruders out?

[Matzzon]

2 hours ago, fruitman said:

Now the boat driver has to pay 10 million to the family of the german tourist.

Why? 

[grantbkk]

If the poor victim was properly chipped an alarm could of sounded on the boat and the collision avoided. 
 

RIP  Both the swimmer and the boat driver share the blame.

 

Since arriving in Thailand in 2002 and seeing the raw sewage being pumped into the ocean (at least in Pattaya) I’ve given the sea a hard pass. 

[fruitman]

4 hours ago, pattjock said:

I'm not sure about this case but everywhere I see parasail activity there is only one guy in the speedboat. There is no way he can keep an eye on the water in front of him and the person in the parasail. How the authorities can allow this practice is beyond belief.

 

I've also been on Patong beach where we had to run for shelter because of the line of a parasailer going over the beach.

[bander]

8 hours ago, jastheace said:

again... very sad

nothing will be learned... also sad

Agreed, and nothing will be done by tourists who don't understand thai mentality.

They keep on swimming and think it's safe believing the speedboat drivers are careful and use slow speed around swimmers.

The speedboat driver will get a slap on the wrist and 500 bath fine as usual, case closed, another tragic accident in the police report. 

[fruitman]

2 minutes ago, bander said:

Agreed, and nothing will be done by tourists who don't understand thai mentality.

They keep on swimming and think it's safe believing the speedboat drivers are careful and use slow speed around swimmers.

The speedboat driver will get a slap on the wrist and 500 bath fine as usual, case closed, another tragic accident in the police report. 

Plus another 500 german tourists less after they read this in their newspapers.

[Percy P]

6 hours ago, Matzzon said:

What should the authorities do in this case? Put up a sign togheter with the already visible line in the middle of the water?

But why does the boat have to sail so near to the beach knowing that there is a good chance that someone is bound to be in the water. Isn't the sea large enough.

[richard_smith237]

4 minutes ago, Percy P said:

But why does the boat have to sail so near to the beach knowing that there is a good chance that someone is bound to be in the water. Isn't the sea large enough.

...all the passengers have to swim out the boats ??? I'm not sure you thought your comment through quite carefully enough.

[bander]

1 minute ago, Percy P said:

But why does the boat have to sail so near to the beach knowing that there is a good chance that someone is bound to be in the water. Isn't the sea large enough.

They want to get attention from customers who want to parasail by going as close the shore as possible, hoping the swimmers getting out of their way.

[gk10002000]

5 hours ago, madmitch said:

The entire article is biased in favour of the speedboat driver. Yet why should these parasailing operations have priority over swimmers and sunbathers? Oh yes, they pay the right people!

the allowed swimming areas are clearly marked. 

[Matzzon]

11 minutes ago, Percy P said:

But why does the boat have to sail so near to the beach knowing that there is a good chance that someone is bound to be in the water. Isn't the sea large enough.

You ever think about that people want to go back on land, and if not he was outside the designated lines for people swimming.

In this case it was the german that was in the wrong place.

[jany123]

6 hours ago, Matzzon said:

What should the authorities do in this case? Put up a sign togheter with the already visible line in the middle of the water?

The authorities should review industry practices and consider changes to increase safety. It is 100% clear that current practices are not at industry best. Once standards are set, authorities need to routinely assess individual operations for compliance.

 

herein we see culpability everywhere. The tourist lacked situational awareness. The operator acted negligently. The authorities do little to set and maintain standards.

[KKr]

The source article says:

"" Mr Prock was swimming outside the designated swimming zone ""

 

Where were the Lifeguards to whistle him out of dangerous zone?

 

Did we not hear recently that safety is a major concern of powers that be ?

 

If even more, say another 10 million,  tourists would come and facilities are not upgraded, we are likely to see more sad events.

 

May he RiP.

Edited November 23, 2019 by KKr

[30la]

9 hours ago, PatOngo said:

Phuket authorities should be well versed in dealing with tourist fatalities, it has become an almost daily occurrence!

Not only in Phuket!