Three Youths Rescued After Foam Raft Drifts Offshore in Songkhla

Picture courtesy of Khaosod 

Three teenage boys were rescued after becoming stranded at sea in Songkhla province when strong winds and waves swept them around 400 metres from shore while they were fishing on a makeshift foam raft. The incident occurred on 27 December 2025 and prompted an urgent response from local rescue services. All three youths were brought back safely, suffering shock but no injuries.

The rescue was coordinated by the Sawang Songkhla Ruam Jai Rescue Centre in Songkhla city after it received an emergency report of children drifting in the sea. The youths were spotted near the Sukjai Market area at Tha Sa-an, in Khao Rup Chang subdistrict of Mueang district. Rescue workers immediately deployed a boat to locate and assist them.

At the scene, rescuers found three male youths sitting on a large sheet of foam amid rough sea conditions. One of the boys was aged 17, while the other two were aged 15. The foam sheet had been adapted for use as a raft in place of a boat.

The location where they were found was approximately 400 metres from the shoreline near Sukjai Market. Strong winds and waves were affecting the area at the time. Rescue workers manoeuvred their boat alongside the drifting foam raft and brought all three youths aboard safely.

According to initial questioning, the teenagers said they had paddled out to sea to fish using the foam raft. As conditions worsened, wind and wave action pushed the raft progressively farther from shore. They were unable to paddle back on their own and remained adrift until they were seen by others, who alerted rescue services.

Although none of the youths sustained physical injuries, they were reported to be visibly shaken after the ordeal. They were returned to shore once the rescue operation was completed. No further medical treatment was required.

Khoasod reported that the incident underscored the risks posed by strong sea conditions and the use of improvised flotation devices. Rescue services responded promptly, preventing the situation from escalating into a more serious emergency. The successful outcome relied on timely reporting and swift action by the rescue team.

Key Takeaways

• Three teenage boys were rescued after drifting 400 metres offshore on a foam raft in Songkhla on 27 December 2025.

• The youths were fishing on a makeshift foam platform when strong winds and waves pushed them away from shore.

• All were rescued safely by the Sawang Songkhla Ruam Jai Rescue Centre and were uninjured but shaken.

 Adapted by Asean Now from Khaosod 2025-12-28