British woman injured by boat propeller on Similan Islands

[webfact]

A British woman sustained injuries from a boat propeller while diving near Island 7 on the Similan Islands.

 

The accident took place during a tour organised by Siam Adventure World, according to a report from the Royal Thai Navy Third Area Command based at Cape Panwa. The incident, which occurred on Tuesday, October 15, was brought to the attention of the Navy’s Marine Security Unit by a tour guide aboard the boat, Saracha.

 

The injured tourist, identified as 30 year old Louise Imee Bacchetta, suffered a wound 5 centimetres long and 2 centimetres deep to her right heel. Navy officers promptly administered first aid, stopping the bleeding, providing painkillers, and covering the wound, said an RTN spokesperson.

 

“The injured tourist was given first aid by our officers before being transported back to the tour boat for further medical treatment.”

Following the first aid, Bacchetta was taken to a hospital for more extensive medical care. The brief report from the Third Area Command did not disclose additional details about her current condition or the circumstances leading to the accident, reported Phuket News.

 

The Similan Islands had just reopened on Tuesday. The Department of National Parks, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation (DNP) has given the green light for visitors until May 15 next year.

 

To ensure visitors have a smooth and safe experience, national park officials have pulled out all the stops. Safety equipment and facilities have been thoroughly checked and repaired where needed.

 

In related news, a fishing boat discovered a body wearing diving gear and an oxygen tank floating in the sea near the mouth of the Samut Prakan estuary. Rescue teams coordinated with the marine police, who retrieved the body and brought it ashore.

 

The deceased was identified as an employee who had been diving with his colleagues in rough seas. The discovery was linked to a diver who had gone missing while cleaning the underside of a ship near Si Chang Island. Marine police were dispatched to search approximately 30 kilometres from the shore.

 

by Puntid Tantivangphaisal
Photo courtesy of Phuket News

 

Source: The Thaiger 

-- 2024-10-18

 

 

 

 

[MalcolmB]

11 minutes ago, webfact said:

Louise Imee Bacchetta,

Doesn’t sound like a British name to me. 
 

Big girl.

[Dcheech]

 

1 hour ago, webfact said:

The Similan Islands had just reopened on Tuesday

And they had an accident on Tuesday. Yeesh. These  prop chop accidents used to happen (maybe they still do) off Koh Tao a decade back. They were overshadowed by other untoward events on that island. No idea why they can't mark off an area with buoys so no boats go in the area where there are snorkelers or divers but that seems problematic.  

 

Edited October 18 by Dcheech

[ChrisY1]

I've been there...once! 

Never seen such an incredibly dangerous beach side....dozens of stupid speedboats with multiple huge engines right on the beach....revving to watch the prop spray...r

[kidneyw]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

To ensure visitors have a smooth and safe experience, national park officials have pulled out all the stops. Safety equipment and facilities have been thoroughly checked and repaired where needed.

What about the morons driving the boats?

[MalcolmB]

4 minutes ago, kidneyw said:

What about the morons driving the boats?

I thought it would be more likely that British Karen didn’t listen to instructions.

The hundreds of other divers seemed to manage ok.

[SAFETY FIRST]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

A British woman sustained injuries from a boat propeller

Looks happy enough, probably the free ride. 

 

[soi3eddie]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

To ensure visitors have a smooth and safe experience, national park officials have pulled out all the stops. Safety equipment and facilities have been thoroughly checked and repaired where needed.

 

Clearly not in this case. Maybe they need to install propeller guards to avoid incidents like this which could easily have been so much worse.  There should be clear, and enforced, division between diving and boating areas. Reminds me of the death of Kirsty MacColl.

 

From Wikipedia...

Death

In 2000, after she participated in the presentation of a radio programme for the BBC in Cuba,^[19] MacColl took a holiday in Cozumel, Mexico, with her sons and her boyfriend, musician James Knight. On 18 December 2000, she and her sons went diving at the Chankanaab reef, part of the National Marine Park of Cozumel, in a designated diving area that watercraft were restricted from entering. With the group was a local veteran divemaster, Iván Díaz. As the group was surfacing from a dive, a powerboat moving at high speed entered the restricted area. MacColl saw the boat coming before her sons did. Louis, age 13 at the time, was not in its path, but Jamie, age 15, was. She was able to push him out of the way (he sustained minor head and rib injuries), but she was struck by the powerboat, which ran over her. MacColl suffered severe chest and head injuries and died instantly.^[20] MacColl's body was repatriated to the United Kingdom and was cremated after a funeral service at Mortlake Crematorium in Kew.

 

 

Edited October 18 by soi3eddie

[spidermike007]

It really makes you wonder whether or not these boat captains have ever had any safety training, and how much attention they pay to nearby swimmers and divers. What's really surprising is that this doesn't happen more often  considering the incredibly LAX safety standards here. 

[Dcheech]

12 hours ago, MalcolmB said:

thought it would be more likely that British Karen didn’t listen to instructions.

The hundreds of other divers seemed to manage ok.

 

We all love Karen's, and they are a great excuse. However Thailand has a history of prop chopping snorkelers & divers off of different islands.  

[IslandLover]

13 hours ago, MalcolmB said:

Doesn’t sound like a British name to me. 
 

Big girl.

 

Most likely Italian.  Why comment on her size?    🙄

[newbee2022]

14 hours ago, webfact said:

Siam Adventure World

Well, probably not that kind of adventure 

[flyingfox1]

15 hours ago, webfact said:

In related news, a fishing boat discovered a body wearing diving gear and an oxygen tank floating in the sea near the mouth of the Samut Prakan estuary. Rescue teams coordinated with the marine police, who retrieved the body and brought it ashore

perhaps that should of been the first reported

[flyingfox1]

11 hours ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

Looks happy enough, probably the free ride. 

 

looks like the guy in the left in the pic is carrying the most weight , infact i can’t see the other fellows hand lol

[kiwikeith]

14 hours ago, ChrisY1 said:

I've been there...once! 

Never seen such an incredibly dangerous beach side....dozens of stupid speedboats with multiple huge engines right on the beach....revving to watch the prop spray...r

It's the same mentality as on the road   .

They think they are big time driving a small bike with big noise 

Tourist attraction come to Thailand everyone can now drive stoned and drunk you can burn to death on a crapped out bus or be run over by a idiot while swimming 

Edited October 19 by kiwikeith
Add more

[SAFETY FIRST]

18 minutes ago, flyingfox1 said:

looks like the guy in the left in the pic is carrying the most weight , infact i can’t see the other fellows hand lol

Aaah, you may be onto something here. 

 

That's why she looks happy. 

 

[metisdead]

Posts contravening our Forum Rules have been removed:

• Provide accurate, helpful, and truthful information.
• Be polite and respectful to other users.
• Do not post defamatory, offensive, or discriminatory content.
• Avoid flaming, trolling, or stalking other members.
• Report any content that violates these rules using the report button.

[Aussie999]

16 hours ago, MalcolmB said:

Doesn’t sound like a British name to me. 
 

Big girl.

What does?

[Aussie999]

15 hours ago, MalcolmB said:

I thought it would be more likely that British Karen didn’t listen to instructions.

The hundreds of other divers seemed to manage ok.

Another savaging attacker ready to bite the tourist. Geez

Edited October 19 by Aussie999

[Aussie999]

Again, we do not get the tourist's side of the story... is this protecting Thailand "tourist safe" reputation. 

[MalcolmB]

3 minutes ago, Aussie999 said:

Another savaging attacker ready to bite the tourist. Geez

Another Thai bashed ready to attack the Thais.

Sensible people know to not put your foot near a boat propeller. The boat was stationary.

 

[ravip]

A British woman sustained injuries from a boat propeller while diving near Island 7 on the Similan Islands.

 

Would have been a very painful experience.

I cant imagine how someone can get that close to a boat propeller - Getting knocked down by the bow of a boat is one thing. But the prop?

[smew]

Wow… safety is a top priority here it certainly appears that way in this article 

[Aussie999]

45 minutes ago, MalcolmB said:

Another Thai bashed ready to attack the Thais.

Sensible people know to not put your foot near a boat propeller. The boat was stationary.

 

Malcolm, mate, nothing in my comment indicates Thai bashing, it's people, like you, that cause trouble.

[Oliver Holzerfilled]

Glad it was only the ankle and the twins were left uninjured.

 

[richard_smith237]

16 hours ago, MalcolmB said:

I thought it would be more likely that British Karen didn’t listen to instructions.

The hundreds of other divers seemed to manage ok.

 

1 hour ago, MalcolmB said:

Another Thai bashed ready to attack the Thais.

Sensible people know to not put your foot near a boat propeller. The boat was stationary.

 

 

 

Trolling yet again with the anti-Farang / Thai apologist nonsense at the drop of a hat….

 

…a typical MalcomB post - worthy of nothing other than disdain for this numpty…. It’s astonishing how he misses making an intelligent comment by a country mile.

 

[Watawattana]

Bacchetta is an Italian name.  First found in England in 1891.  Not sure where the Mohammad references come from, but never mind.  Don't care about her size, it's not relevant.  She looks a bit embarrassed to me at having to be carried.  Hope she recovers quickly.

[brianthainess]

During Lockdown these boat operators had ample opportunity to fit prop-guards, but it's not law to do that, IMO it should be. They are easy to make and fit, but as usual safety is not a feature in Thailand. 

Edited October 19 by brianthainess

[richard_smith237]

1 minute ago, brianthainess said:

During Lockdown these boat operators had ample opportunity to fit prop-guards, but it's not law to do that, IMO it should be. They are easy to make and fit, but as usual safety is not a feature in Thailand. 

They could be fit over night.

 

But, IMO the ‘greed’ is a factor here… get a many tourists as possible - no matter the risks to them. 

 

It’s that time of year when we’re due another boat capsize due untrained / unqualified / unregistered captains. 
 

 

[brianthainess]

3 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

They could be fit over night.

 

But, IMO the ‘greed’ is a factor here… get a many tourists as possible - no matter the risks to them. 

 

It’s that time of year when we’re due another boat capsize due untrained / unqualified / unregistered captains. 
 

 

These could be made and fitted I'd say for under 2K using stainless steel.