Tragedy in Nakhon Ratchasima as Student Drowns After Skipping School

A swimming incident claimed the life of a 14-year-old boy after he skipped school with friends on November 5. Rescuers recovered the body of the M1 student, known as “A” (pseudonym), after a five-hour search in the Chakrat River, where currents carried him about 100 metres from where he initially entered the water.

The incident took place at the Chakrat River near Ban Chong Kho, Village 2, Sri Lako Subdistrict, Chakrat District. Local rescue volunteers from the Hook 31 Rescue Team in Nakhon Ratchasima were alerted when A’s friends reported him missing after he was swept away by the currents.

At the scene, rescuers found A’s school shoes and a water bottle left on the riverbank. His classmates and local residents were searching for him, but there was no sign of the young student.

The Hook 31 Rescue Team quickly called in specialised divers to help locate the missing boy. Battling the river’s powerful currents, it took more than five hours to find A’s body, approximately 100 metres downstream. His lifeless body was brought ashore, where family members, teachers, and classmates grieved as the body was taken to Chakrat Hospital for an autopsy.

An initial investigation revealed that A and three friends had skipped school that morning to swim in the river. However, as they entered a part of the river with swift currents, A was swept away while his friends watched helplessly. Unable to save him, they immediately sought help from adults, leading to the eventual discovery of his body.

Picture from responders.

-- 2024-11-06