Belgian Kitesurfer Dies in Pranburi After Being Swept onto Rocks

[Georgealbert]

Picture from responders.

 

A Belgian man lost his life on 12 January, while kitesurfing off Pranburi’s coastline. The victim, identified as Mr Brendan, 55, was swept onto rocks by powerful waves at Khao Kalok, located within the Thaokosa Forest Park in Pak Nam Pran, Prachuap Khiri Khan Province.

 

Local police were alerted to the incident in the evening after the kitesurfer failed to return to shore. Emergency services, including rescue volunteers and forest park officials, responded swiftly, but the challenging weather conditions, including high tides and strong waves, made the rescue operation extremely hazardous. Efforts were hampered further by the inability to locate the victim immediately.

 

With assistance from a drone, rescuers located the victim’s body approximately 3–4 metres deep in a rocky crevice. The man, wearing an orange t-shirt and blue shorts, was found lying face down and was believed to have been in the same position for over two hours. However, rescue teams were unable to retrieve the body immediately due to rough seas and the rising tide.

 

As night approached and the tide receded, rescuers launched a rubber boat to retrieve the body despite the high-risk conditions. Volunteers faced significant challenges, with many suffering injuries from sharp rocks and shells during the operation. Ultimately, they successfully recovered the deceased and brought him ashore.

 

The victim’s Thai girlfriend and mother were present at the scene and were visibly distraught as they saw the lifeless body.

 

Rescue volunteer Promsingh Singhaseni, who assisted in the operation, explained the difficulties posed by the weather. “The strong waves made it impossible to approach the area on foot. Under normal circumstances, we would use ropes to access such crevices, but today’s conditions were exceptionally dangerous.”

 

Fellow rescuer Polarap Meesaming described the scene, saying, “The body was located on a higher rock ledge. Blood was visible running down into the sea. He had severe injuries to his head and face, likely caused by being slammed against the rocks.”

 

Prior to the incident, Thailand’s Meteorological Department had issued warnings of heavy rain and strong winds in the Gulf of Thailand, with waves reaching 2–4 metres. Red flags were placed along the shore, prohibiting swimming and water sports. Despite these warnings, the fatal incident occurred.

 

Authorities continue to urge the public to heed weather alerts and safety warnings to prevent further tragedies.

 

 

-- 2025-01-13

 

 

 

 

 

[newbee2022]

No risk no fun. 🙏

[spidermike007]

This can be a very hazardous sport in difficult conditions, a friend of mine is a highly skilled kitesurfer and he just broke several bones in his hand trying to launch his kite in a high wind. It's not a sport for the faint at heart, especially during tough conditions. 

[iLuvThai]

Tragic way to go. 

 

I was looking for an update about a potential drowning at Khao Takiap Beach. January 3 or 4th I can't remember what day we where there. We witness a parachuter being dragged out of the sea. Efforts where made to revive him as I am guessing they found a pulse. We left after as the ambulance arrived but it didn't look good. But on our way back to the hotel the ambulance that had just arrived when we left went screaming past our taxi. I took that as a good sign because if the man passed away why would they be in a hurry? Plus because it's been a week without any news that I've seen in taking that as possibly a good sign because why would the News report someone that survived. Any updates would be helpful as I haven't stopped thinking about this terrible situation.

 

 

[hotchilli]

39 minutes ago, newbee2022 said:

No risk no fun. 🙏

Dead is no fun either

[newbee2022]

8 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

Dead is no fun either

How you know? Nobody can tell us

[soalbundy]

7 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

Dead is no fun either

NDE's say otherwise.

[black tabby12345]

Killed by the impact with beach rocks.

I hate to imagine how he died.

Rest in peace...

[norsurin]

This kind of fun i haven't try and will never try The same is the waterjets..if u dont get injured at the sea u sure will be injured by the people who rented u it Scammers and criminals.

[Baba Naba]

Ya play, ya pay.... 

[Georgealbert]

This is Thai media footage of the conditions when recovering the body.

 

 

 

[Frankie baby]

Those rocks are full of barnacle's etc. It would have been like being cut to pieces with a razor blade.

R.I.P mate. 

[KhunLA]

Was watching a guy the other day, and he was having a hell of time getting back to shore.  Not a 'long' line kite surfer, but also not a 'sail' attached to his board. 

 

First time I saw that style.  Seemed he was off the board and in the surf, as much as when riding back to shore.  He had to be exhausted when he finally got to beach.

 

Been so rough & high winds lately, really need to be an expert to be out there.

[Patong2021]

 

The last 2 days have been crazy. The high winds have the kitesurfers out in high numbers in Hua hin with the 2 "schools" very busy. I was watching them and their leaps and soars left me queasy. The people who know what they are doing are not a threat to anyone, but I am waiting for the day when one of the jerks on a jet ski rental  crashes into one of them.

 

Unfortunately, the  Europeans who are associated with the schools here can be rude and aggressive. They operate as if they own the beach and the students/members sometimes have their kites crashing down into the beach or swooping low, terrifying the unaware beach walkers. One day, someone is going to over react to a near beheading and pop one of the kite clan in the nose especially the middle aged man we call  "Monsieur Morveux". He  carries on as if he was some sort of feudal lord.

[jwl53]

2 hours ago, newbee2022 said:

How you know? Nobody can tell us

Ask the family they will tell you

[dingdongrb]

Had red flags placed along the beach to inform all not to go into the water as the conditions were dangerous. 

 

Sounds just like snow skiers going under the ropes, skiing the out-of-bounds areas hoping to get into some deep fresh powder but only triggering avalanches and killing themselves and/or others.  ⛷️ 

[rumeaug]

i'm in Pranburi since saturday (close to the sheraton villas). 

Wind was crazy strong until this morning.

No-one in their right mind would have gone out for kitesurfing in the area or take anyone out at sea for that purpose. Insane.

 

[SiSePuede419]

Call me old fashioned but there's still plenty of ways to kill yourself with just a surfboard.

You don't need to add the kite to do that. 👍

[Easterneye]

What a terrible way to go poor guy  , let’s hope it was a swift end .

having said that I saw so many videos yesterday of red flagged beaches and stormy waters flooding in 

[Justanotherone]

he went doing something he loved... RIP

[newbee2022]

4 hours ago, jwl53 said:

Ask the family they will tell you

Tell what???

[riverhigh]

"Red flags were placed along the shore, prohibiting swimming and water sports. Despite these warnings, the fatal incident occurred."

 

The article should read "Despite these warnings, middle aged man past his prime went KItesurfing  without concern for the potential  problems he may cause others. Did he want to show that he had the fitness level of twenty old something? Did he want to show that he knew best and was better than others? Did he have somthing to prove?   Who knows? My sympathies go to his family and friends who were left with the mess that he left behind.

[Captain Flack]

A troll post has been removed.

[richard_smith237]

7 hours ago, hotchilli said:

8 hours ago, newbee2022 said:

No risk no fun. 🙏

Dead is no fun either

 

But life without some risk is outrageously boring....   avoiding all risk and doing nothing, YAWN.... 

 

We each have different risk profiles... 

 

Having Windsurfed, Wakeboarded, Ski'd...  most of my life, injuries are part of the deal... 

 

This guy make a tragic mistake, perhaps underestimating the conditions or his ability for the conditions - either way, he was 'living life' until his tragic end and not someone propping up a bar to scared to do some of the more adventurous things.

[richard_smith237]

5 hours ago, dingdongrb said:

Had red flags placed along the beach to inform all not to go into the water as the conditions were dangerous. 

 

Sounds just like snow skiers going under the ropes, skiing the out-of-bounds areas hoping to get into some deep fresh powder but only triggering avalanches and killing themselves and/or others.  ⛷️ 

 

 

When windsurfing, I used to go out under 'red flag' all the time - that was when conditions were the best. 

The golden rule though, was never be 'out there' on your own. 

 

As far as skiing is concerned - the 'out of bounds' area simply means the area is not patrolled. Regulations vary from area to area, but if you are out of bounds, the insurance that comes with your 'lift pass' will cover the costs of recovery should you get injured. 

There are also some area's that are 'roped' off, for expert skiers only, and they are still patrolled area's. 

 

Avalanches in these area's are always part of the risk - either knowing exactly what you are doing, or taking a guide is obviously key.... I wont go 'back or side country' in a new area without a guide, those days are past me now anyway...   which takes me on to my next point in response to the comment below.

 

45 minutes ago, riverhigh said:

Did he want to show that he had the fitness level of twenty old something? Did he want to show that he knew best and was better than others? Did he have somthing to prove?   

 

I'm not sure, conditions change, he may have been doing what he always does, but this time got caught out.

As we age we loose strength and fitness - I can't do what I did at 20 years old, but sometimes it takes a while to realise that. 

I can't play football 3x per week anymore, 2x a week is a big ask. 

I can't swim as hard, as fast or as far.... I can't ski as aggressively anymore (also injuries have prevented that too).

 

Thus; I'm doubt he was doing anything to impress anyone, people who do these sports do them for themselves, their own thrill and enjoyment - its seems he simply became caught out by the conditions and became trapped (its happend to me in the past, luckily only with equipment damage).

 

 

45 minutes ago, riverhigh said:

Who knows? My sympathies go to his family and friends who were left with the mess that he left behind.

 

Indeed... horrible for them - someone living life to the full and this happens. Life is fleeting.

[newbee2022]

14 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

But life without some risk is outrageously boring....   avoiding all risk and doing nothing, YAWN.... 

 

We each have different risk profiles... 

 

Having Windsurfed, Wakeboarded, Ski'd...  most of my life, injuries are part of the deal... 

 

This guy make a tragic mistake, perhaps underestimating the conditions or his ability for the conditions - either way, he was 'living life' until his tragic end and not someone propping up a bar to scared to do some of the more adventurous things.

Well, that's two extreme sides. Both obviously not boring for the right people.

[richard_smith237]

3 minutes ago, newbee2022 said:

18 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

But life without some risk is outrageously boring....   avoiding all risk and doing nothing, YAWN.... 

 

We each have different risk profiles... 

 

Having Windsurfed, Wakeboarded, Ski'd...  most of my life, injuries are part of the deal... 

 

This guy make a tragic mistake, perhaps underestimating the conditions or his ability for the conditions - either way, he was 'living life' until his tragic end and not someone propping up a bar to scared to do some of the more adventurous things.

Well, that's two extreme sides. Both obviously not boring for the right people.

 

Agreed... there's clearly a 'huge middle ground' of activities... 

 

But...  kite surfing even in strong conditions is perhaps less dangerous than riding a motorcycle in Thailand, so putting this into perspective, people may be passing judgement on the 'danger' of this activity, while not thinking twice about riding a motorcycle while half pished up... 

 

The red flags indicate conditions were extreme - but it used to be that this was an indication the conditions were good.

With hindsight, I think I misunderstood the 'flags' as I figured they were specific to swimmers and not those surfing or windsurfing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[dingdongrb]

2 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

 

When windsurfing, I used to go out under 'red flag' all the time - that was when conditions were the best. 

The golden rule though, was never be 'out there' on your own. 

 

As far as skiing is concerned - the 'out of bounds' area simply means the area is not patrolled. Regulations vary from area to area, but if you are out of bounds, the insurance that comes with your 'lift pass' will cover the costs of recovery should you get injured. 

There are also some area's that are 'roped' off, for expert skiers only, and they are still patrolled area's. 

 

Avalanches in these area's are always part of the risk - either knowing exactly what you are doing, or taking a guide is obviously key.... I wont go 'back or side country' in a new area without a guide, those days are past me now anyway...   which takes me on to my next point in response to the comment below.

 

 

I'm not sure, conditions change, he may have been doing what he always does, but this time got caught out.

As we age we loose strength and fitness - I can't do what I did at 20 years old, but sometimes it takes a while to realise that. 

I can't play football 3x per week anymore, 2x a week is a big ask. 

I can't swim as hard, as fast or as far.... I can't ski as aggressively anymore (also injuries have prevented that too).

 

Thus; I'm doubt he was doing anything to impress anyone, people who do these sports do them for themselves, their own thrill and enjoyment - its seems he simply became caught out by the conditions and became trapped (its happend to me in the past, luckily only with equipment damage).

 

 

 

Indeed... horrible for them - someone living life to the full and this happens. Life is fleeting.

Wow!!! Is there anything else you would like to ramble on about?

[frank83628]

6 hours ago, rumeaug said:

i'm in Pranburi since saturday (close to the sheraton villas). 

Wind was crazy strong until this morning.

No-one in their right mind would have gone out for kitesurfing in the area or take anyone out at sea for that purpose. Insane.

 

Those conditions are what kiters want, however you should know your limits and surroundings.

[richard_smith237]

18 minutes ago, dingdongrb said:

Wow!!! Is there anything else you would like to ramble on about?

 

awwww......  sawryyyyy... was more than two lines too much for you ??