Sixteen Year Aussie Girl Killed

[jtp]

A boat accident in Thailand has claimed the life of a 16-year-old Darwin girl.

Family and friends described Ali van Os as a "beautiful" and "entrancing" girl after her life support machine was turned off last night, the Northern Territory News reports.

Ali was on a friend's boat tied up at a marina in northern Phuket Island last Wedneday when a luxury "superyacht" sailed in.

She ran down the wharf to take a closer look at the 50m yacht when it is believed someone knocked the boat's throttles, causing the boat to surge forward and plough into the wharf where Ali was standing.

It is believed a 10cm wide mooring rope, known as a hawser, smashed into Ali's head.

Paramedics rushed Ali to a hospital on Phuket Island but her brain had ceased to function and she lost too much blood to make a recovery.

Thai authorities are now investigating the incident.

Family friend Terri Robson paid tribute to Ali yesterday, telling the Northern Territory News that she was an "amazing young woman".

"Ali's just one of those people that's just so engaging," she said. "People were entranced by her."

Ali was the daughter of a prominent Darwin barrister, Lex Silvester, and well-known author Joanne van Os, both of whom were holidaying with their daughter when tragedy struck last week.

The parents made the agonising decision to turn off Ali's life support system at 6pm last night.

Ms Robson said Ali's parents were "very upset" but they wanted to thank friends for their support over the past week.

Edited February 24, 2009 by tritexengineering

[jtp]

I don't know if this has already been reported,if so my apologies.

[Tonyzill]

Tragic

RIP

[jtp]

A picture of the young girl.

[samuibeachcomber]

that is a very sad story,am so sorry for her family.

[ukrules]

I wonder who's yacht it was that caused this

[neverdie]

Very Sad, my thoughts are with her family and friends.

[sriracha john]

I wonder who's yacht it was that caused this

Young sailor loses her fight for life

A DARWIN teenager has lost her fight for life after a freak boating accident in Thailand.

The life-support system keeping 16-year-old Ali van Os alive was turned off last night, five days after she received massive head injuries when she was struck in the head by a snapped mooring line.

Ali, the daughter of author Joanne van Os and prominent Darwin barrister Lex Silvester, was in the north of Phuket island as part of a round-the-world sailing trip when the accident happened.

Passionate about yachts and the sea, Ali was at the Yacht Haven Marina, admiring a 50m super-yacht, when it is believed someone knocked the boat's throttles.

The boat surged forward, snapping a hawser and causing a 10cm-wide kevlar-composite rope to strike her across the face and head, throwing her into the air and on to the jetty.

Van Os and Mr Silvester rushed to their daughter's aid, joined by medical staff from other yachts at the jetty. They tried to control the heavy bleeding and to keep Ali breathing, before an ambulance arrived at the remote jetty about half an hour later.

Ali was taken to an emergency clinic at Thalang before being transferred to Bangkok Phuket Hospital.

Her mother, whose 2005 memoir Outback Heart told of her marriage to Rod Ansell, the man who inspired the character Crocodile Dundee, said she took solace in the thought her daughter's final moments were spent around the sea.

"We take some comfort -- a lot of comfort -- that she was doing something she loved and did the best at that moment, talking to someone and getting an invite on board a boat, making the opportunity to meet new people and make new friends ... something we all know Ali did better than anyone," she said.

Van Os said the US company that owned the super-yacht had been supportive and a full inquiry was under way.

Friends of the gregarious teenager gathered for a farewell ceremony in Darwin last night. Her life support was turned off at 7.30pm (AEDT).

- The Australian / 2009-02-24

Edited February 24, 2009 by sriracha john

[WaiWai]

I wonder who's yacht it was that caused this

Yes; and who the captain was and how this happened.

A very sad story. My condolences to this young woman's family and friends.

[sriracha john]

The boat surged forward, snapping a hawser and causing a 10cm-wide kevlar-composite rope to strike her across the face and head, throwing her into the air and on to the jetty.

Witnessed a snap-back (a rope parting under pressure) of a hawser that hit the leg of a huge 325-pound Samoan sailor that snapped his massive femur, into a protruding compound fracture, like it was a toothpick. He took the hit deliberately in the blink of an eye after stepping in front of a puny 140-pound shipmate that no doubt would have ripped him in two in a fatal strike.

They are incredibly powerful..... and fast.

Synthetic fiber rope snaps back at about 700 feet/second

-Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, DC

RIP Ali

[sriracha john]

Freak yacht crash kills Northern Territory girl

A DARWIN family has been rocked by tragedy after a boat accident in Thailand claimed their daughter's life.

Ali van Os, 16, who was fatally injured when a huge "super-yacht" surged into a wharf where she was standing, was yesterday remembered as a beautiful and entrancing girl.

Her parents, Darwin author Joanne van Os and her husband, barrister Lex Silvester, had to make the heartbreaking decision to turn off Ali's life support system at 6pm last night.

Family friend Terri Robson yesterday said the family were "very upset" but they wanted to thank friends in the Territory for their support over the past week.

She said Ali was an "amazing young woman".

"Ali's just one of those people that's just so engaging," she said. "People were entranced by her."

The incident happened at Yacht Haven marina on the north of Phuket Island.

Ali had been with her parents on a friend's boat when the yacht sailed in and she rushed over to have a closer look as it was tied up.

It is believed the yacht surged forward into the wharf and Ali was hit in the head by a 10cm wide mooring rope known as a hawser.

Thai authorities are investigating the incident.

Ali was rushed to Bangkok Hospital in Phuket where her family said she received "world-class" care, but she had lost a lot of blood and tests showed her brain was not functioning.

Another friend said that Ali and her family had received "excellent" treatment from the hospital, officials and authorities.

Ms Robson said many family members had rushed to Thailand to hold a vigil by Ali's bedside.

"Jo said that she's comfortable," she said. "She's not feeling any pain - the pain is obviously with her family and friends."

Ms van Os is a well-known author, famous for her children's book Brumby Plains and her memoir Outback Heart.

Mr Silvester is a prominent barrister in Darwin and is well known for his love of fishing.

- The Australian / 2009-02-24

[JetsetBkk]

I wonder who's yacht it was that caused this

The yacht didn't cause this tragedy - someone at the controls did.

RIP Ali.

[jtp]

It makes you cringe when a face is put to a story...Such a beautiful young lady,how horrible to be the parents,and to have the choice of turning off the life support.RIP

[warfie]

a truly terrible incident... RIP Ali and my heartfelt condolences to her family and friends.

[Scott]

My deepest sympathies to the friends and family of the victim.

[RAZZELL]

My deepest sympathies to the friends and family of the victim.

As above

RAZZ

[eek]

Such a sad sad thing to happen.

So sorry.

[jayjayjayjay]

That's very sad when a young vibrant life of any nationality is taken from us, RIP young spirit ;-(

[coconutmonkey]

sad

[hkt83100]

I wonder who's yacht it was that caused this

You can get some more information here: http://phuketwan.com/tourism/freak-superya...mishap-injures/

[Kan Win]

Rest In Peace dear Ali.

May you always bloom in the memory of your dear loved ones, family and friends.

Yours truly,

Kan Win

[SomchaiCNX]

RIP Ali

[khunandy]

I wonder who's yacht it was that caused this

Why? Looking for someone to blame?

It is a maritime accident and unfortunately not that uncommon. Not the fault of the yacht and not the fault of the crew... an accident...sorry mate, no Thai bashing possible here.

Such an unfortunate loss...RIP

[stuandchris]

Sorry Khunandy but you are totally wrong. No Thai bashing here but when you are moored on big yachts and ships you ring finished with engines to stop this kind of accident. This is bog standard even Cadets know.

If it wasn't done the ships master is at fault, Thai or farang. If it was done then it is the fault of the senior engineer on duty.

Either way there is no excuse for a superyacht to start engines by accident.

You could go the other route and blame the owner for hiring incompetant crew.

[snuggzzz]

I am so sorryto hear of the tragic death of Ali, she had her whole life in front of her may she Rest in Peace. My Commiserations to her loving Parents, my thoughts and prayers are with you all at this very sad time.

[inf]

A tragic death.

So sorry to hear about a young life ended this way.

Condolences to the family and friends.

[HorseDoctor]

A picture of the young girl.

Obviously, this was a young woman. Yes, she's very attractive, is that why you dishonor her with that sexualized moniker. " Girl" ?

[hnka]

A boat accident in Thailand has claimed the life of a 16-year-old Darwin girl.

Family and friends described Ali van Os as a "beautiful" and "entrancing" girl after her life support machine was turned off last night, the Northern Territory News reports.

Ali was on a friend's boat tied up at a marina in northern Phuket Island last Wedneday when a luxury "superyacht" sailed in.

She ran down the wharf to take a closer look at the 50m yacht when it is believed someone knocked the boat's throttles, causing the boat to surge forward and plough into the wharf where Ali was standing.

It is believed a 10cm wide mooring rope, known as a hawser, smashed into Ali's head.

Paramedics rushed Ali to a hospital on Phuket Island but her brain had ceased to function and she lost too much blood to make a recovery.

Thai authorities are now investigating the incident.

Family friend Terri Robson paid tribute to Ali yesterday, telling the Northern Territory News that she was an "amazing young woman".

"Ali's just one of those people that's just so engaging," she said. "People were entranced by her."

Ali was the daughter of a prominent Darwin barrister, Lex Silvester, and well-known author Joanne van Os, both of whom were holidaying with their daughter when tragedy struck last week.

The parents made the agonising decision to turn off Ali's life support system at 6pm last night.

Ms Robson said Ali's parents were "very upset" but they wanted to thank friends for their support over the past week.

Very sad! My condolences to the family!.....RIP

[Africanteacher]

:D

[Buang]

This is truly tragic, our thoughts are with the young girls family.

Maybe Thai authorities should start looking at better policing of the waterways instead of worrying about rediculous alcohol bans that will not work.