British diving instructor found dead on Thailand’s Koh Tao under ‘mysterious’ circumstances

[webfact]

 

British diving instructor, Neil Gibin, from Birmingham was found dead in Thailand’s Koh Tao, also known as ‘Death Island’.

By Rahmah Ghazali

A British man was found dead on Thailand’s Koh Tao - notoriously known as Death Island - last week and  circumstances surrounding his death remain a mystery. The body of Neil Gibin, 48, was discovered in a rented bungalow in the small paradise island on Wednesday (January 18) after he failed to turn up to a diving lesson.

 

Described as ‘fit and healthy’, Neil, from Birmingham, is believed to have died from natural causes. According to a report by a national newspaper, there was no sign of a struggle leading up to his death and that there was “nothing to investigate”.

 

However, Neil is said to be the fifth instructor to die in the past few years on the island following a series of unexplained deaths and murders of backpackers and tourists, tainting its reputation. A friend told the newspaper that Neil was found in his underwear on his sofa with a blanket on him.

The friend added: “The medics who showed up said there was nothing suspicious. I was told the police said straight away there was nothing to investigate. It happened so quickly. I don’t even think they did an autopsy. I talked to Neil about some of the deaths that happened here.

 

Full story: https://www.birminghamworld.uk/read-this/british-diving-instructor-found-dead-on-thailands-koh-tao-under-mysterious-circumstances-3997303

 

-- © Copyright Birmingham World 2023-01-24

 

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[ChrisY1]

Why this island is still so popular with tourists is bewildering....so many deaths...never any prosecutions and seemingly all gets brushed under the rug.

Meanwhile, the government says nothing...ever....except, "no Thai would ever do that"

[robblok]

British tabloids, i mean all the other deaths have nothing to do with this but are mentioned for the story. People die in their sleep its not strange thing. I don't expect an autopsy if i die in my sleep and there is no sign of violence.

 

This sounds a lot like a storm a teacup.  

[Celsius]

9 minutes ago, robblok said:

People die in their sleep its not strange thing. I don't expect an autopsy if i die in my sleep and there is no sign of violence.

 

Yea sure..... perhaps it was a microsleep accident 

[stoner]

good ol koh tao.

[PJ71]

14 minutes ago, robblok said:

People die in their sleep its not strange thing

Fit healthy 48 year olds, really?

[BritManToo]

22 minutes ago, robblok said:

British tabloids, i mean all the other deaths have nothing to do with this but are mentioned for the story. People die in their sleep its not strange thing. I don't expect an autopsy if i die in my sleep and there is no sign of violence.

 

This sounds a lot like a storm a teacup.  

It's common for an autopsy to be done on all victims of unexpected deaths.

[BananaStrong]

Pluto and this island.    Two places I’ll never go to…..always negative news.   Sorry Pluto, you were once a planet. 

[steven100]

mafia,  unexplained deaths,  zero investigations or cover ups,  Koh Tao is Death Island that's for sure.

As soon as I read this I thought about how thai's don't like farang treading on their toe's or taking business from them.        A healthy 47yr old doesn't die of natural causes.  TIT where anything bad can happen to anyone.

[robblok]

30 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

It's common for an autopsy to be done on all victims of unexpected deaths.

Not where i am from, and not here either. 

[robblok]

39 minutes ago, PJ71 said:

Fit healthy 48 year olds, really?

How do we know he was fit and healthy ? Just because its said.. who knows. So much speculation. 

[smedly]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

According to a report by a national newspaper, there was no sign of a struggle leading up to his death and that there was “nothing to investigate”.

sounds familiar - nothing to investigate according to who

[mackayae]

If you've gone through the PADI or BSAC courses to become a certified Dive Instructor chances are you are fit and healthy.

[Hummin]

1 hour ago, robblok said:

British tabloids, i mean all the other deaths have nothing to do with this but are mentioned for the story. People die in their sleep its not strange thing. I don't expect an autopsy if i die in my sleep and there is no sign of violence.

 

This sounds a lot like a storm a teacup.  

Im sure my family and insurance company wanted an autopsy, and for Koh Taos sake, they should have done it, but with or without autopsy, there still would have been questions and mistrust. 

 

Koh Taos reputation is already damaged!

[smedly]

1 hour ago, robblok said:

I don't expect an autopsy if i die in my sleep and there is no sign of violence.

you are technically correct but if you were mudered and the local authorities said - nothing to investigate then there is a problem - right ?

[robblok]

Just now, Hummin said:

Im sure my family and insurance company wanted an autopsy, and for Koh Taos sake, they should have done it, but with or without autopsy, there still would have been questions and mistrust. 

 

Koh Taos reputation is already damaged!

Whatever your family wants is not important. They only do this when its suspicious (just like in my country). But what is suspicious about someone dying in his sleep on a sofa under a blanket in his underewear. Unless clear signs of poisoning or violence there is no need.  

 

At least that is how it goes in my country.. but it s more what is the rule in Thailand. I doubt that every body gets an autopsy. 

 

[smedly]

22 minutes ago, robblok said:

Not where i am from, and not here either. 

wrong

[PJ71]

20 minutes ago, robblok said:

How do we know he was fit and healthy ? Just because its said.. who knows. So much speculation. 

He was a diving instructor, you'd need to have a above average level of fitness to do that.

 

Did you miss that bit in the article or do you think that's 'speculation' too?

[robblok]

2 minutes ago, smedly said:

you are technically correct but if you were mudered and the local authorities said - nothing to investigate then there is a problem - right ?

Yes there is but his friend told he was found in his underwear and a blanket on a sofa. Does not sound like a problem to me. Also they say... we BELIEVE no autopsy has been done. So rumor speculation no facts. 

[Hummin]

Just now, PJ71 said:

He was a diving instructor, you'd need to have a above average level of fitness to do that.

Well, not really true

[robblok]

2 minutes ago, PJ71 said:

He was a diving instructor, you'd need to have a above average level of fitness to do that.

 

Did you miss that bit in the article or do you think that's 'speculation' too?

Hell im a divemaster. I dive a lot seems you got a different idea bout dive instructors then i do. Especially the ones working on the holliday islands. Do you actually dive and hang out with these people ? Because I do and there is nothing special about their fitness. 

[robblok]

1 minute ago, Hummin said:

Well, not really true

At least we agree on something 

[Hummin]

Just now, robblok said:

Yes there is but his friend told he was found in his underwear and a blanket on a sofa. Does not sound like a problem to me. Also they say... we BELIEVE no autopsy has been done. So rumor speculation no facts. 

Calm down, seems your mood shadow for reasonable arguments today. I agree my family have nothing to do with it, but my insurance company for sure would like to know if I did drugs, or on any other medications. 

 

Normal in my country to perform autopsy when a young man even middle aged dies suddenly.

[MRToMRT]

12 minutes ago, mackayae said:

If you've gone through the PADI or BSAC courses to become a certified Dive Instructor chances are you are fit and healthy.

It would also put you in a group that has a higher incidence of aneurisms though.

[robblok]

Just now, Hummin said:

Calm down, seems your mood shadow for reasonable arguments today. I agree my family have nothing to do with it, but my insurance company for sure would like to know if I did drugs, or on any other medications. 

 

Normal in my country to perform autopsy when a young man even middle aged dies suddenly.

Not where I am from, so maybe not here either. Why would your insurance want to know ? Just curious mine will pay out quite easy. Unless serious suspicions.. Me dying now (im his age)_ would not be strange. I think im healthy, my blood tests show as much. However you never know. Unless you do indept medical checks and then its still hard.

[PJ71]

3 minutes ago, robblok said:

Hell im a divemaster. I dive a lot seems you got a different idea bout dive instructors then i do. Especially the ones working on the holliday islands. Do you actually dive and hang out with these people ? Because I do and there is nothing special about their fitness. 

Yes, i know a few dive instructors and yes they're fit.

 

To suggest that a fit 48 year old man dying in his sleep is normal is quite simply, absurd.

[PJ71]

1 minute ago, robblok said:

Not where I am from, so maybe not here either. Why would your insurance want to know ? Just curious mine will pay out quite easy. Unless serious suspicions.. Me dying now (im his age)_ would not be strange. I think im healthy, my blood tests show as much. However you never know. Unless you do indept medical checks and then its still hard.

From other posts of yours it seems you're heavily into fitness, for you to die in your sleep would be considered unsuspicious?

 

Really?

[Jenkins9039]

There was a movie a decade or so ago that i watched where back packers would continuously head to a place known as paradise, where their organs would be harvested - this reminds me of Koh Tao, people still going even though it's referred openly as 'death island'.

 

Government should move in and indict and eradicate what's going on, on the island, or overseas Governments should restrict their citizens from heading to Samui and the adjacent islands which are pretty much cartel/mafia run despots.

[robblok]

Just now, PJ71 said:

Yes, i know a few dive instructors and yes they're fit.

 

To suggest that a fit 48 year old man dying in his sleep is normal is quite simply, absurd.

Maybe what you and i consider fit differs. But i can say the majority is not that fit and a lot drink and party a lot. Even though padi says no drinking before diving (night before). These guys are here just on a holiday working part of the year here. No super humans nothing. I am suggesting he was not fit and suggesting he might have had health problems. As we have no records from his DR. Its a speculation both sides.

[smedly]

3 minutes ago, robblok said:

Whatever your family wants is not important. They only do this when its suspicious

someone of that age dieing suddenly will always attract police attention - it is reffered to as a sudden death - the police will want to know the cause of death, there may be a medical history that explains why a person may have died suddenly - or they may be hanging from the ceiling with their hands tied - or they may have a big hole somewhere but just to have died like that - I would want to know

 

I do not trust local authorities on this island - they can say whatever they want without question - not one word do I believe