Swimmer Struck By Lightning

[LeungKen]

A swimmer was pulled from the water here at Nai Yang after being struck by lightning yesterday afternoon.

He was not breathing and a little blood was trickling from his mouth. Emergency resuscitation was carried out until an ambulance arrived but unfortunately he showed no signs of recovery when last seen.

He is believed to be from Kazakhstan with a small group of friends and was swimming with 2 companions (who survived) when struck, they weren't very far out from the shore by all accounts.

I actually had a drink with he and his g/f when he first arrived and he was good fun - looked about 37 y.o. - fairly spun me around when I got the news.

Talk about unlucky - but then again none of us who live here go swimming when electrical storms are happening - my condolences to all concerned - if anyone has the final outcome from the hospital we here would like to know - but the last word here was he looked too far gone.

[LeungKen]

For some weird reason this has double posted - would a kindly Mod please delete or close one of them - Thanks in anticipation.

[wasabi]

Very unlucky and unfortunate. A good reminder not to go swimming when it's stormy.

[Boater]

If he was out in the ocean, how did he get struck? was he wearing a metal chain/necklace?

[phuketsub]

http://www.siangtai.com/TH/newspage1_detai...p?News_ID=16212

according to this report, which was probably written last night, the poor guy was just barely alive. He was staying at Indigo Pearl. They give his name as Amanao Rahmetov.

Thalang Hospital refuses to give any info until the Director returns for work tomorrow morning.

[Sir Burr]

I understand that the OP is made with the best intentions, but, how exactly do you warn somebody of avoiding a freak accident?

[Ping]

I wasn't aware of that one - to not go swimming if lightning's about. Hard way to find out about it for this poor chap.

[Samuian]

I wasn't aware of that one - to not go swimming if lightning's about. Hard way to find out about it for this poor chap.

Well, I can remember being back home, in public pools, that at the arrival of a storm, thunderstorm, people would be warned to leave the waters immediately!

People got struck while playing Golf!

Just being out in the open, wearing a golden Necklace...

"Lightning is the 2nd leading source of storm deaths in the US in most years and in many states lightning is the leading source of weather deaths.

Lightning only kills about 10% of the people it strikes leaving many of the rest with life long debilitating injuries."

from:

good educational read too!

[stevenl]

Well, I can remember being back home, in public pools, that at the arrival of a storm, thunderstorm, people would be warned to leave the waters immediately!

In pools: yes. But the chances of being hit in the sea are extremely remote.

This is an unfortunate accident, I would not leave the water if a thunderstorm comes up (at least not for fear of being hit by lightning).

[NBT TV Phuket]

We gather the unfortunate tourist struck by lightning has now died, while his family are being informed. RIP.

[Samuian]

my sincere condolences to his relatives...

[skippybangkok]

Good warning to get most parents scared - this pedophilic Lion is groping its crotch.

p.s.

on a more serious note, Condolences to the family and RIP.

Edited April 21, 2008 by skippybangkok

[LeungKen]

To Boater - Yes he was wearing a metal earing.

To Sir Burr - Yes whilst it was a freak accident, some precautions can be taken to avoid lightning strikes.

To stevenl - Yes of course the choice is yours whether you leave the sea or not.

I will be remaining inside avoiding electrical outlets - staying away from telephones - not sheltering under tall trees - and certainly wont be swimming nor standing on a beach when ever an electrical storm happens.

There are a couple of sites on how to avoid lightning strikes this is one

http://strikeone.com.au/avoid/avoid.htm

[Kan Win]

Dear "LeungKen",

A very good post, as one remembers back in me youth in England, when it rained folk who where swimming in Lidos and/or in the sea jumped out of the water to get shelter.

Now that confused “the what its” out of me, until I realised that it was the lightning that they and me ran ways from. Learned that part at school, back in the old days, when it rains, leave the waters.

Sorry, photo a bit off due to the storm of Koh Samui 2000, Raja Ferry. Free Hand held.

Yours truly,

Kan Win

[LeungKen]

Thanks for the positive feedback and "striking" photo Khun Kan Win.

It was a one in a million accident I would agree, but if we can do anything to save a life in the future, by bringing this unfortunate incident to peoples notice, it will be worth it.

Edited April 21, 2008 by LeungKen

[amanda76]

I thought April Fools was reserved for April 1st.

I have never heard of this. Lightning striking a man wearing a metal necklace/earing in the water?

Fear of the water is one thing, but really... Sounds to me like he was struck by a tourist on a jet ski.

I swim in the deep ocean (+/- 1000ft. ) and have been swimming during heavy lightning storms. NEVER have I ever seen Lightning strike an earing or necklace.

We live on an Island made up of what???? And Lightning is gonna strike a Kaz with a necklace/earing?

I am beginning to see what is the root cause of all the BS.

I would swim in a 15th centry Knights Attire before I ever beleived this Mumbo Jumbo.

But then again, most of the posts come from people who do not swim daily as I do, regardless of the weather.

Lightning does not play favorites. Regardless of what you are wearing. He/She would have to be standing ON the water, waving a huge ANVIL to be selected by lightning.

Get Real!

~a~

Edited April 21, 2008 by amanda76

[Quero]

I thought April Fools was reserved for April 1st.

I have never heard of this. Lightning striking a man wearing a metal necklace/earing in the water?

Fear of the water is one thing, but really... Sounds to me like he was struck by a tourist on a jet ski.

I swim in the deep ocean (+/- 1000ft. ) and have been swimming during heavy lightning storms. NEVER have I ever seen Lightning strike an earing or necklace.

We live on an Island made up of what???? And Lightning is gonna strike a Kaz with a necklace/earing?

I am beginning to see what is the root cause of all the BS.

I would swim in a 15th centry Knights Attire before I ever beleived this Mumbo Jumbo.

But then again, most of the posts come from people who do not swim daily as I do, regardless of the weather.

Lightning does not play favorites. Regardless of what you are wearing. He/She would have to be standing ON the water, waving a huge ANVIL to be selected by lightning.

Get Real!

~a~

Amanda, what you think you know based on your own personal experience is not definitive nor universally true. A quick google search on the topic of swimming during storms with lightning turned up this, in the first few hits:

It is definitely NOT safe to swim when lightning is in the area in any type of water. Even if current lightning is a few miles away, lightning can pop up in new parts of the storm very quickly. Salt water conducts electricity, which means that it can easily travel through the water toward you. The lightning current may spread out in all directions and dissipate within 20 feet or so, but don’t bet your life on how close the strike will be. As the highest object on the water, you may be the most likely target.

(Greg Forbes, severe weather expert at the Weather Channel, June 29, 2005)

and this:

Swimming during a thunderstorm is one of the most dangerous things you can do. Lightning regularly strikes water, and since water conducts electricity, a nearby lightning strike could kill or injure you.

Any time you hear thunder, or see lightning, you should get out of the water and into a safe place. A picnic-type shelter is not a safe place in a thunderstorm. Instead, you should be in a building with walls, or a metal vehicle.

(Jack Williams, USATODAY.com weather editor, Aug. 1, 2004)

and this:

Large numbers of lightning flashes strike oceans, lakes, rivers, and ponds. If there is nothing protruding higher than a body of water or flat ground, then a flat surface is hit.

The area of a swimming pool is small, so it's not usually directly hit. However, the area affecting a pool is quite large. This area includes the surrounding power and telephone lines, and the plumbing around the pool and inside the bathhouse and other structures. These are usually unsafe places during a thunderstorm because the current from a lightning strike will travel easily through the standing water, showers and other plumbing. Since the pump, lights and other facilities have power lines linked to the plumbing, a hit to any part of a pool complex can affect all of it.

Water does not "attract" lightning. It does, however, conduct current very well. It's not clear how far lightning travels through water. People have been killed or injured by direct or indirect strikes while in or on the water, boats, docks, piers, surf, surfboards, canoes, while fishing, and so on. In most cases, it appears that the strike was within a few tens of yards of the person. But the current can extend farther through plumbing or wiring so the distance of influence can be greater.

(Ron Holle, research meteorologist, NOAA National Severe Storms Laboratory, Norman, Okla., Aug. 18, 1999)

The lesson: get out of the water during a lightning storm. Yes, it's a freak accident, but one that is easily preventable.

Edited April 22, 2008 by mfiskong

[taxexile]

But then again, most of the posts come from people who do not swim daily as I do, regardless of the weather.

indicative of the thought processes of one who has already experienced massive electrical disturbance in the neurone department.

[donna]

i would sat that the facts speak for themselves. a guy was swimming. he got struck by lightening. he died. all this says that it is indeed possible to be struck by lightening whilst swimming.

i always thought that lightening never struck twice. but a friend of a friend was struck on a golf course (and survived - maybe it wasnt a direct hit) and was then his car was struck when he was driving through another storm. amazing.

may the deceased man rest in peace.

[amanda76]

taxexile. There is always someone who has only the thought process to make remarks like that.

Sorry to have spoken in such a way that disturbed you.

We are taught to:

Not swim after dinner, be afraid of the dark, WMD's in Bagdad...

Googling something is brave though. I mean, you could get struck by lightning while on your computer.

All I am saying is that I find it very hard to believe. There, Tax, does that make it better?

~a~

[LeungKen]

I swim daily here in Phuket (well almost as it depends on the weather)

My friends & family witnessed this fairly rare occurance and I thought I would post this as a warning to others.

What anyone does with this information is entirely up to them.

I simply tried to do the right thing.

[donna]

and many of us do appreciate the warning LeungKen.

[LivinginKata]

Ummm .... I've often swum in our pool during fantastic lightening storms. I never worried about a strike as it seemed to me unlikely that a 'head in the water' would attract a grounding for electric. Seemed to me that there would be something a little higher that would ground the strike. Now I'll have second thoughts about swimming in a storm.

Has the dead swimmer been named yet ? Never seen a report in any newspaper.