Irishman dies in kayaking incident in Thailand

[webfact]

Mr O'Neill's family hope to repatriate his body in the coming days. Source: FAMILY

 

A 22-year old man has died after his boat capsized while kayaking in Thailand.

 

Odhran O'Neill from Lurgan, County Armagh was last seen in Khao Sok National Park on Saturday at 13:00 GMT.

 

Mr O'Neill's uncle David O'Dowd told the BBC his nephew was only 4.5m (15ft) from a jetty when his boat capsized.

 

He had taken a break from an apprenticeship in Newry to travel to Thailand with a friend last week.

 

Full story: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-64018562

 

-- © Copyright BBC 2022-12-19

 

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[MRToMRT]

So sad, RIP.

[HuskerDo2]

Life is precious. It can end at any time, even when enjoying yourself on a vacation.

[scubascuba3]

As usual BBC poor reporting, doesn't give detail

[richard_smith237]

54 minutes ago, Gottfrid said:

Sad he had to lose his life over it, but apparently not very good at kayaking nor swimming.

We can always rely on Gottfrid to keep it classy.... 

 

 

[Gottfrid]

5 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

We can always rely on Gottfrid to keep it classy.... 

 

 

Ok, maybe not so classy, but I am using forums to express my opinion. If you have a different one, feel free to post it.

Who says it has to be classy all the time. Facts are still facts, but unfortunately we have come to a point, where we have to cover up what we think and post something cozy that people want to read and can take to their heart.

[huangnon]

Doesn't say if he drowned or died from other causes...

 

Quote

Mr O'Dowd said the family was currently working to have Mr O'Neill's body repatriated.

 

He said it was expected to take between seven and 10 days.

A statement from Clann Eireann GAC said after the kayak capsized, Mr O'Neill said he would swim to shore but was not seen again.

Every kayak I've ever rented here has mandatory life-jacket requirement. Strange incident.?

[jacko45k]

1 hour ago, huangnon said:

Doesn't say if he drowned or died from other causes...

 

Every kayak I've ever rented here has mandatory life-jacket requirement. Strange incident.?

I suppose you have to be able to get out of an upturned one for a life jacket to be a benefit.....

[AhFarangJa]

11 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

I suppose you have to be able to get out of an upturned one for a life jacket to be a benefit.....

It seems he was already out of the Kayak..................

after the kayak capsized, Mr O'Neill said he would swim to shore but was not seen again.

So sad. R.I.P.

[huangnon]

3 minutes ago, AhFarangJa said:

It seems he was already out of the Kayak..................

after the kayak capsized, Mr O'Neill said he would swim to shore but was not seen again.

So sad. R.I.P.

Yes, that is the part that is puzzling. Was talking to someone after the kayak turned over.

[Joe Farang]

1 hour ago, huangnon said:

Yes, that is the part that is puzzling. Was talking to someone after the kayak turned over.

And was only 15 feet from shore

[zyphodb]

Crocodile maybe? But surely someone would have noticed.

  Can't think of much else animalwise that would kill you in Koh Sok lake.

Which leaves... another of those "unexplained" deaths which we're having so many of worldwide...

[Aussieroaming]

RIP and condolences to his family. Seems strange that he disappeared 4.5 meters from a jetty. Maybe got a cramp or something. But I agree with others, weak swimmers should wear life preservers.

[ourmanflint]

This is such a BS story. How on earth was someone from UK who was very probably taught how to swim age 10, drown 15ft from a jetty after previously saying he was ok? 

[richard_smith237]

7 minutes ago, ourmanflint said:

This is such a BS story. How on earth was someone from UK who was very probably taught how to swim age 10, drown 15ft from a jetty after previously saying he was ok? 

Agreed, a very incomplete story...  

 

[gomangosteen]

36 minutes ago, ourmanflint said:

This is such a BS story. How on earth was someone from UK who was very probably taught how to swim age 10, drown 15ft from a jetty after previously saying he was ok? 

Agree there's something missing or lost in translation. What happened to the kayak - they don't tend to sink if overturned, just left floating out there?

 

The quoted BBC article states he said he was going to "swim to shore" rather than get back to the jetty; which may suggest he was swimming away from the jetty to the shore/beach, but as above still doesn't seem right. 

 

More questions than answers, sad for his friends and family.

Edited December 19, 2022 by gomangosteen

[Chigur]

Hypothermic shock from very cold water?

[HandsomeTallFarang]

6 hours ago, Gottfrid said:

Ok, maybe not so classy, but I am using forums to express my opinion. If you have a different one, feel free to post it.

Who says it has to be classy all the time. Facts are still facts, but unfortunately we have come to a point, where we have to cover up what we think and post something cozy that people want to read and can take to their heart.

Ah, the old "I sHoUlD bE aLloWeD tO bE a JaGoFf On HeRe I'm OnLy ExPrEsSiNg My oPiNinIoN!!"

That's great, now let me express my opinion.

You're making light of a tragedy hours after it happened. Nothing to do with snowflakes being offended, it's just you being a tasteless clown and people rolling their eyes at you.  

 

 

 

 

Edited December 19, 2022 by HandsomeTallFarang

[BangkokReady]

7 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

We can always rely on Gottfrid to keep it classy.... 

I'm not sure how he resists the urge to type something like "Good.  I hate other foreigners."  I guess that's a little too explicit.

[daveAustin]

4 hours ago, ourmanflint said:

This is such a BS story. How on earth was someone from UK who was very probably taught how to swim age 10, drown 15ft from a jetty after previously saying he was ok? 

Weather has been pretty bad in the south past weekend. Expect more info will come out later. 

[Troy Tempest]

3 hours ago, Chigur said:

Hypothermic shock from very cold water?

Yeah....The water is always freezing in Southern Thailand's lakes because it comes from Glaciers way up in the Mountains!

Edited December 19, 2022 by Troy Tempest

[daveAustin]

3 hours ago, HandsomeTallFarang said:

Ah, the old "I sHoUlD bE aLloWeD tO bE a JaGoFf On HeRe I'm OnLy ExPrEsSiNg My oPiNinIoN!!"

That's great, now let me express my opinion.

You're making light of a tragedy hours after it happened. Nothing to do with snowflakes being offended, it's just you being a tasteless clown and people rolling their eyes at you.  

 

Agreed. Ignore works well with these types. 

[Rimmer]

Some troll posts have been removed

[jak2002003]

9 hours ago, jacko45k said:

I suppose you have to be able to get out of an upturned one for a life jacket to be a benefit.....

He must have been out of it because he said he would swim to shore.  He could not have said that and been understood by other people if he was underwater. 

Edited December 19, 2022 by jak2002003

[Gottfrid]

4 hours ago, HandsomeTallFarang said:

Ah, the old "I sHoUlD bE aLloWeD tO bE a JaGoFf On HeRe I'm OnLy ExPrEsSiNg My oPiNinIoN!!"

That's great, now let me express my opinion.

You're making light of a tragedy hours after it happened. Nothing to do with snowflakes being offended, it's just you being a tasteless clown and people rolling their eyes at you.  

 

 

 

 

And you are still handsome, tall and foreign, right?

[phetphet]

Story doesn't add up.

 

The boat capsized 4.5m (15 feet) from the jetty and the victim said he would swim it.

 

Said to who? How did they not see he was in trouble and  either help or raise the alarm?

 

 

Edited December 19, 2022 by phetphet

[Eloquent pilgrim]

9 hours ago, jacko45k said:

I suppose you have to be able to get out of an upturned one for a life jacket to be a benefit.....

All of the hundreds of kayaks that I have seen in Thailand that have either been for rent, or as gratis from beachfront hotels, have been the sit-on type, as opposed to the enclosed cockpit type that I have used for years on the Thames and other rivers in the UK. So, this is a rather strange and unexplained tragedy …. RIP

[it is what it is]

10 hours ago, jacko45k said:

I suppose you have to be able to get out of an upturned one for a life jacket to be a benefit.....

he could have capsized and banged his head, banged his head on an overhanging branch, had a heart attack... wearing a life jacket is sensible but not 100% protection from all possible incidents. without further details we don't know.

[cocoonclub]

Indeed a rather strange story. Yesterday there was a post on Reddit using the same photo. That person was asking for help because his friend went missing. He mentioned the last he knows was that his kayak capsized in Khao Sok lake and everyone thought this guy is talking BS because why wouldn’t the person who saw him capsize help him instead of informing Someone far away? 
 

And anyone who has been to Khao Sok knows that’s it’s a completely quiet lake. The only way to drown or wear a life jacket there is if you really cannot swim. We would just jump into the water from our kayaks without a life jacket and swim. There’s not currents or waves or anything. I’m also not aware of any dangerous sea animals. 

Edited December 19, 2022 by cocoonclub

[kwilco]

11 hours ago, zyphodb said:

Crocodile maybe? But surely someone would have noticed.

  Can't think of much else animalwise that would kill you in Koh Sok lake.

Which leaves... another of those "unexplained" deaths which we're having so many of worldwide...

I'm not even sure they have any crocs in that dam. THey wouldn't be that big.

I agree that one would like more information about what happened.

Other people go out on the lake and would like to know what happened.

It is possible he got caught in weeds?

Or was his swimming impaired? Had he been eating and drinking...what ever we really do =need to know.