Ocean tragedy: German father drowns, son survives off Phuket’s Karon Beach

[webfact]

 

A German father tragically drowned while swimming at Karon Beach in Phuket yesterday while his 11 year old son survived the terrifying incident.

 

The Thai lifeguard team on Karon Beach rescued the 52 year old German, Jurgen Ralf Wiltzsch, who lost consciousness at the bottom of the sea. The rescue team was called to the scene and provided CPR to Wiltzsch and transferred him to Chalong Hospital but staff could not save the foreign man.

 

According to ThaiRath, the German father and his 11 year old son, Cavl Edwin Wiltzsch, were swimming together at about 7.30pm. The wind and waves were very strong for the two foreigners. The child successfully swam back to the shore, but his father, unfortunately, disappeared into the sea.

The dead body of the man was transferred for an autopsy at Vachira Phuket Hospital. The relevant departments are coordinating with the Embassy of Germany in Thailand to relay the tragic news to his family.

 

by Petch Petpailin

Photo via ThaiRath

 

-- © Copyright Thaiger 2023-08-08

 

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[Sandboxer]

Pretty one-sided week.

 

Poo cat 6 : 0 Dumbazz tourists

[Pique Dard]

2 minutes ago, webfact said:

The wind and waves were very strong

Rip! yet i can't help wondering what the father was thinking!

[Soupdragon]

Without AEDs on the emergency vehicles that attend the drownings they are only acting as meat wagons to collect the dead bodies.

[Cassie]

I was there last night,  with the boy.  I would dearly love some information on how he is. 

[hotchilli]

16 hours ago, Pique Dard said:

Rip! yet i can't help wondering what the father was thinking!

He wasn't thinking.

[spidermike007]

The Andaman is a very large, deep water sea. The currents, riptides and weather make swimming hazardous, for all but the best swimmers. What a way to go. Very tragic. 

[brianthainess]

Red flags, rough seas seem to be ignored by Europeans.

Very rare to hear of an Australian drowning over here, they have a lot more sense normally, than to go swimming in rough seas especially with red flags flying, yet alone after dark.

[watgate]

R.I.P. to the father

[Zapitapi]

RIP...does seem a lot of drownings lately..how is it compared to other years?

[Stargeezr]

This is why I do not travel to Thailand during Rainy Season, more storms, more high winds

and RIP tides are bad this time of year.  Some people use caution, some don't.

RIP to these tourists who forgot caution.

[paulikens]

Tragic but it makes you wonder when people do things like this.......are they so arrogant that they think they're invincible?

[sammieuk1]

Pools are for swimming the sea is for fish and other floating things is my motto ????Rip

[bignok]

Karon is the worst beach on Phuket for rips.

[bbko]

On 8/8/2023 at 4:22 PM, Soupdragon said:

Without AEDs on the emergency vehicles that attend the drownings they are only acting as meat wagons to collect the dead bodies.

AEDs (Automatic External Defibrillator) won't shock someone with a flatline, usually drowning victims suffer from lack of oxygen then the heart just stops.

[superal]

On 8/9/2023 at 8:45 AM, spidermike007 said:

The Andaman is a very large, deep water sea. The currents, riptides and weather make swimming hazardous, for all but the best swimmers. What a way to go. Very tragic. 

Even the best swimmers cannot swim against a rip tide . Also I have never swam in the sea in Thailand because too many things can go wrong plus , is it now the dangerous box jelly fish season ?

[Soupdragon]

Quote

AEDs (Automatic External Defibrillator) won't shock someone with a flatline, usually drowning victims suffer from lack of oxygen then the heart just stops.

 

I agree that the chances of resuscitating someone in cardiac arrest are slim. A slim chance is better than no chance.

Edited August 10, 2023 by Soupdragon