Chinese Tourist Rescued After Snorkeling Incident in Similan Islands

[Georgealbert]

 

 

A dramatic rescue operation unfolded on November 9, as Thai authorities rushed to save a 27 year old Chinese tourist who lost consciousness while snorkelling in the Similan Islands and was not wearing a life jacket.

 

The incident occurred around 14:40 at Mu Ko Similan National Park, located on Koh Miang in Phang Nga Province. According to reports from TSK Marine, the tourist, identified as Mr. Lou Yiling, had been snorkeling for the third time that day without wearing a life jacket when he began to struggle and eventually lost consciousness in the water.

 

National park rangers swiftly responded to the emergency, bringing the unconscious tourist ashore to the Similan Islands’ Koh Miang marine security station. First responders noted that the man was unresponsive and vomiting blood, prompting immediate first aid. With his condition deemed critical, the team coordinated a rapid transfer to the Khao Lak Medical Centre for further treatment.

 

At approximately 15:15, a park-operated speedboat transported Mr. Lou to Thap Lamu Pier, where he arrived at 16:40. Subsequently, at 18:00 the Royal Thai Navy’s Third Naval Area dispatched a helicopter to transport him to a medical facility with advanced medical care.

 

Picture courtesy of Matichon

-- 2024-11-10

 

[Young Hick]

Vomiting blood?  That's not just typical drowning.

[Srikcir]

On 11/10/2024 at 3:40 AM, Georgealbert said:

had been snorkeling for the third time that day without wearing a life jacket

Unconciousable, so became unconscious.

[jcmj]

Well he took the risk and unfortunately it didn’t pay off. No one to blame but himself. Hopefully he recovers and learns from his mistake. 

[lordgrinz]

Wear the life jacket you numbnut! You are in a foreign land, in foreign unknown waters with who knows what lurking in the water and no idea where to go if you go missing while floating around, or pushed off course. God forbid you drown, get stung by a box jellyfish, etc. 

[impulse]

I wonder if there's confusion between a life jacket and a BCD (Buoyancy Compensation Device). 

 

Snorkeling with a life jacket sounds boring, because you're stuck on the surface.  People do it, but mostly in very shallow water.  If the water's more than a few feet deep, you can't see much from the surface.  If you want to go down, you want a BCD.

The OP also doesn't state whether he was on an organized tour, or just swimming from shore (or a boat?) on his own.  Also, vomiting blood sounds more complicated than drowning.  Hopefully, more details will follow.

 

[lordgrinz]

45 minutes ago, impulse said:

I wonder if there's confusion between a life jacket and a BCD (Buoyancy Compensation Device). 

 

Snorkeling with a life jacket sounds boring, because you're stuck on the surface.  People do it, but mostly in very shallow water.  If the water's more than a few feet deep, you can't see much from the surface.  If you want to go down, you want a BCD.

The OP also doesn't state whether he was on an organized tour, or just swimming from shore (or a boat?) on his own.  Also, vomiting blood sounds more complicated than drowning.  Hopefully, more details will follow.

 

 

I snorkeled without a vest (BCD) off of Kauai (USA), but that was only because I had a protected a cove (with a beautiful reef) in front of my surf shack, though we did have very strong cross currents. However, off of Ko Nang Yuan (Thailand), we took the tour boat and we used vests all day when we travelled around Ko Tao, we got lucky with only 6 people on our boat that day, and we were out for quite awhile. I had a blast, even with the life jackets, but the water around there was quite shallow. It's better to be safe than sorry when travelling in a foreign country, especially while taking part in any potentially dangerous escapades. 

 

[alien365]

When I went to the similan islands last year, most didn't wear their life jackets. We were told insurance would be void without one, but people don't travel half way around the world to crystal clear waters to put a safety vest on. Where is the excitement in that?

[impulse]

31 minutes ago, alien365 said:

When I went to the similan islands last year, most didn't wear their life jackets. We were told insurance would be void without one, but people don't travel half way around the world to crystal clear waters to put a safety vest on. Where is the excitement in that?

 

I don't know about the Similians, but I've stayed in perhaps a dozen beachfront hotels in Thailand, and don't recall ever seeing "loaner" or rental life jackets for their guests to use at the beach, much less the general tourist public.  Think about the logistics of cramming a life jacket into your overseas luggage, especially on the way home when it's wet.  

Seems like there would be a market to rent life jackets, fins and other snorkeling gear right at the beach.  Especially the beaches famous for snorkeling.  Along with boogie boards, SUPs, etc.   (Or is that already a thing?  My beach experience in Thailand is limited to the lesser known beaches)

 

Edit:  I'd add that it took me awhile to even find life jackets to buy...  I had a collection of about 10 that I kept in my BKK apartment to go along with my kayaks, inflatable boats and SUPs, so I could safely accommodate a bunch of friends on my outings.  I ended up finding a marine supply shop in BKK Chinatown to buy affordable gear.  Decathlon has them, too, and nicer looking than mine- which were industrial grade.  But they're spendy, and they weren't around when I first started watersports in Thailand.

 

Edited November 11 by impulse

[arithai12]

2 hours ago, impulse said:

I wonder if there's confusion between a life jacket and a BCD (Buoyancy Compensation Device). 

 

Snorkeling with a life jacket sounds boring, because you're stuck on the surface.  People do it, but mostly in very shallow water.  If the water's more than a few feet deep, you can't see much from the surface.  If you want to go down, you want a BCD.

The OP also doesn't state whether he was on an organized tour, or just swimming from shore (or a boat?) on his own.  Also, vomiting blood sounds more complicated than drowning.  Hopefully, more details will follow.

 

The confusion is non existent. A BCD is a rather complex jacket worn by scuba divers to control their buoyancy. It works by letting air in (from their tank) and out. Obviously impossible to operate by a snorkeler. I have dived a few times in the Similans as a freediver, no life jacket no BCD,  easily deeper than the 30m which is usually the limit for recreational scuba. Just hard to convince the dive master that it was ok to take me along, the first time.

[impulse]

3 minutes ago, arithai12 said:

Obviously impossible to operate by a snorkeler.

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/325799290647

 

[watchcat]

Stay away from the water if if you're not a fish.

 

Edited November 12 by watchcat