Foreign Diver Found Dead In Patong

[webfact]

Foreign diver found dead in Patong

Kathu Police Superintendent Grissak Songmoonnark. File Photo.

PATONG, PHUKET: Kathu Police are still trying to determine the identity of a foreign woman found dead in Patong Bay on Tuesday afternoon.

The body, presumed to be that of a middle-aged Caucasian woman, was pulled from the water at about 5pm by Kusoldharm Foundation workers.

The bloated corpse was discovered floating at 4:30pm about four meters offshore from Paradise Beach, near the Merlin Beach Resort.

Kusoldharm volunteer Waranyu Chaipratheep told the Gazette the deceased was wearing a black wetsuit with a blue stripe, a weight belt and swim fins. No oxygen tank was recovered, however.

Kathu Police Superintendent Grissak Songmoonnark said the woman probably died about two days earlier at a nearby coral reef.

Police have already contacted Marine Police and other agencies, but as of this afternoon had yet to determine the woman's identity.

Her remains are being kept at Patong Hospital pending identification.

Anyone with information that could help identify the woman should contact Patong Hospital (076-342633-4) or Kathu Police (076-342719-20).

-- Phuket Gazette 2009/11/19

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[anon467367354]

that's a tragedy. I wonder if they have contacted all the dive shops. RIP

[Igor]

Wearing weights but no "oxygen" tank? I assume that means no BC or regulator, too. So, an inexperienced diver panicked and removed her BC and air supply but forgot to ditch the lead. And a dive operator too scared to admit he lost a tourist.

[Menny]

Feel sorry for the lady and her family. RIP.

[Pesche]

Wearing weights but no "oxygen" tank? I assume that means no BC or regulator, too. So, an inexperienced diver panicked and removed her BC and air supply but forgot to ditch the lead. And a dive operator too scared to admit he lost a tourist.

The missing BCD Air Tank or regulator doesn't mean NOTHING! Have you ever heard about "Skin Diving" or "Free Diving"? Having weights and a neopren suit is standard for this kind of snorkeling!

[markg]

Please PLEASE don't lets have a discussion or speculation about how this poor woman met her tragic death.

The ONLY facts that are known is that a middle-aged Caucasian woman wearing a wet suit is dead.

Can we just leave it at that for the moment?

RIP and condolences to the family.

[batblaster]

RIP...

[goggsie]

Assuming there is a supplier of her equipment out there, and lets be reasonable, who's going to fly lead weights in! The police ought to find out quite quickly who she was. A unique identification logo for each supplier of diving equipment stamped on all of their equipment ought to be made mandatory. But it's sad and perhaps a reminder not to dive (skin dive or other diving) alone.

[Brewsta]

Hmmm....until facts are freely available, speculation is both inevitable and guaranteed, no?.

Shut the thread until the data comes in or allow peeps to express their views,based often on previous experience or reporting.

Move along folks, etc....... no known factual news here.

RIP.

sadly,

Brewsta

Edited November 19, 2009 by Brewsta

[RickBradford]

If she had been in the water for two days, why was no missing person report filed? Surely somebody must have noticed she wasn't around any more?

[nakachalet]

i felt so very sad and lonely and alone.... for the family members....

my deepest condolences....

and we are a few hours away.... if any family member needs a quiet but well stocked place to stay and recollect, pls pm me

you all are entirely welcomed to stay with us for a while.

[pagallim]

Hmmm....until facts are freely available, speculation is both inevitable and guaranteed, no?.

Shut the thread until the data comes in or allow peeps to express their views,based often on previous experience or reporting.

Move along folks, etc....... no known factual news here.

RIP.

sadly,

Brewsta

I agree about the conjecture. However, I also feel 'brainstorming' scenarios surrounding her death may also produce some kind of conclusion. To not comment is surely to anticipate, and by inference acceptance, of some kind of 'accident' bulletin from BIB. Think everyone agrees, 2 days in the water, lady must have been staying somewhere, probably local, who's missing her? Publicity is important, especially for the family.

[phuketsub]

Following is a link to the report in the Thai press, with images of the corpse. Pretty gory, but perhaps it can help in the identification process.

View at your own discretion.

http://www.siangtai.com/TH/newspage1_detai...p?News_ID=24101

[pattaya_girl]

Poor Lady, so sad.. RIP.

[Soupdragon]

The missing BCD Air Tank or regulator doesn't mean NOTHING! Have you ever heard about "Skin Diving" or "Free Diving"? Having weights and a neopren suit is standard for this kind of snorkeling!

This is not meant as speculation but as a warning to inexperienced skin/free divers.

When skindiving it is common to take a few deep breaths prior to submerging. This lowers the carbon dioxide (CO2) level in the body. As it is the raised levels of CO2 in the body that occur when breath holding that triggers the urge to breath not the lack of oxygen this has the effect of being able to hold your breath for longer and stay submerged without the body telling you that you need to breath. Now as you dive and swim about the body consumes oxygen but the surrounding water pressure keeps the partial pressure (google the meaning) of O2 in the body within the limits but as you surface the water pressure decreases rapidly and so does the partial pressure of O2. If you hit the lower limit for partial pressure O2 you black out instantly without warning. This is known as shallow water blackout. Now if you are wearing weights to allow you to stay down easier it is very possible you will not surface and drown.

The message here is if you skin/free dive only take a couple of deep breaths before you dive and allow a long period betwen dives.

[d0om4gloom]

Hmmm....until facts are freely available, speculation is both inevitable and guaranteed, no?.

Shut the thread until the data comes in or allow peeps to express their views,based often on previous experience or reporting.

Move along folks, etc....... no known factual news here.

RIP.

sadly,

Brewsta

I agree about the conjecture. However, I also feel 'brainstorming' scenarios surrounding her death may also produce some kind of conclusion. To not comment is surely to anticipate, and by inference acceptance, of some kind of 'accident' bulletin from BIB. Think everyone agrees, 2 days in the water, lady must have been staying somewhere, probably local, who's missing her? Publicity is important, especially for the family.

Maybe it was foul play. I favour the dive shop theory myself, maybe she hired the weights and somewhere there's a dive shop owner cursing her for not bringing them back, seems a good line to investigate first. Maybe she lived here on her own. Well all this brainstorming when we know absolutely nothing seems so worth while ! Not !!

Edited November 19, 2009 by d0om4gloom

[richwantsin]

this must happen more often than is reported

surely?

[keyjor]

Please PLEASE don't lets have a discussion or speculation about how this poor woman met her tragic death.

The ONLY facts that are known is that a middle-aged Caucasian woman wearing a wet suit is dead.

Can we just leave it at that for the moment?

RIP and condolences to the family.

Good one markg.

If you hadn't said it I would have.

RIP

[waza]

RIP

[Soutpeel]

I agree about the conjecture. However, I also feel 'brainstorming' scenarios surrounding her death may also produce some kind of conclusion.

Unfortunately to "brainstorm" people actually require brains to storm with in the first place, said brains are generally lacking in the population known as Thai Visa forums, who are generally more prone to speculation, passing judgemental opinions based on their own narrowed minded bia's or generally just making it up as they go along..

Therefore may I humbly suggest until more facts behind this sad occurance are know, we refrain from "brainstorming" out of respect of the family, who ever they may be, as they may be actively looking for their daughter/wife etc and may very well be looking at posts on TV..

[dude007]

Wearing weights but no "oxygen" tank? I assume that means no BC or regulator, too. So, an inexperienced diver panicked and removed her BC and air supply but forgot to ditch the lead. And a dive operator too scared to admit he lost a tourist.

That's going fast in your thinking! And in the crime-direction!!!

Everyone who is free-diving (without tank and regulator) needs a weight belt and fins and mask. I even go up to 35-40 metes deep without any tank or air supply, just a weight belt! There's nothing wrong about that. But that doesn't explain the reason of the dead of this lady! I don't believe that there is a diving shop involved in this: it's most probably an accident. This kind of equipment doesn't need to be hired from a diving shop! Doctors must be able first to determine the cause of the dead and then they can start make "assumptions", but please don't go so fast in seeing a crime in every dead body!

[Viper]

I used to go free diving on my own when I lived in Koh Samui. My Itinerary was neoprene suit, fins, mask & snorkel, a weight belt, a knife, and other technical equipment. Quite often I wouldnt let anyone know where or when i was going because i was to confident and considered myself an expert at the time. On one occasion I had a very near miss with death! This brought my private diving to an end. It could well be that this women was doing the same as me and met with a sudden incident. You only need to cough at depth and you may be in trouble. Anyway sad news and a terrible tragedy! RIP

[richieudon]

RIP..........

Very sad

[dude007]

The missing BCD Air Tank or regulator doesn't mean NOTHING! Have you ever heard about "Skin Diving" or "Free Diving"? Having weights and a neopren suit is standard for this kind of snorkeling!

This is not meant as speculation but as a warning to inexperienced skin/free divers.

When skindiving it is common to take a few deep breaths prior to submerging. This lowers the carbon dioxide (CO2) level in the body. As it is the raised levels of CO2 in the body that occur when breath holding that triggers the urge to breath not the lack of oxygen this has the effect of being able to hold your breath for longer and stay submerged without the body telling you that you need to breath. Now as you dive and swim about the body consumes oxygen but the surrounding water pressure keeps the partial pressure (google the meaning) of O2 in the body within the limits but as you surface the water pressure decreases rapidly and so does the partial pressure of O2. If you hit the lower limit for partial pressure O2 you black out instantly without warning. This is known as shallow water blackout. Now if you are wearing weights to allow you to stay down easier it is very possible you will not surface and drown.

The message here is if you skin/free dive only take a couple of deep breaths before you dive and allow a long period betwen dives.

Soupdragon, you are a diver! I can read this. Not a skin-diver but a scuba diver!

[nakachalet]

with all due respect....

here are the two pix from the thai news media which might help to understand to some degree as to the i.d. of the poor young lady....

and as far as the thai text is concerned.... it appeared that the thai police was waiting for someone, some relatives to come and i.d. the body.... it really infuriated me.... for taking such passive stance....

it is truly a disgrace for the thai police force as well as all thais, particularly those thais living in the area.... to allow those police officers to behave that way..... come next election--throw them all out with the dirty polluted water.... lol

any way.... here are the two very sad pix....

Edited November 19, 2009 by lopburi3
Photo removed - available from previous post link for those that want - lopburi3

[Suteef]

Hmmm....until facts are freely available, speculation is both inevitable and guaranteed, no?.

Shut the thread until the data comes in or allow peeps to express their views,based often on previous experience or reporting.

Move along folks, etc....... no known factual news here.

RIP.

sadly,

Brewsta

I agree. Very fast reporting .. but c'mon, the real reason to pipe up is if you have information to help the family of this poor victim. That's the great benefit of this kind of news entry. I don't find others' speculation entertaining at all and distasteful.

Condolences to the family. Let's please let the victim rest in peace.

[Jonathanpattaya]

Sad news indeed.

However, it is most strange that two days passed with no report being made of her disappearance.

Condolences to her family and freinds.

[andygunther]

Sending my deepest condolences.

[ratio]

with all due respect....

here are the two pix from the thai news media which might help to understand to some degree as to the i.d. of the poor young lady....

and as far as the thai text is concerned.... it appeared that the thai police was waiting for someone, some relatives to come and i.d. the body.... it really infuriated me.... for taking such passive stance....

it is truly a disgrace for the thai police force as well as all thais, particularly those thais living in the area.... to allow those police officers to behave that way..... come next election--throw them all out with the dirty polluted water.... lol

any way.... here are the two very sad pix....

RIP There should be no pictiures shown for respect to the family.

[asiawatcher]

with all due respect....

here are the two pix from the thai news media which might help to understand to some degree as to the i.d. of the poor young lady....

and as far as the thai text is concerned.... it appeared that the thai police was waiting for someone, some relatives to come and i.d. the body.... it really infuriated me.... for taking such passive stance....

it is truly a disgrace for the thai police force as well as all thais, particularly those thais living in the area.... to allow those police officers to behave that way..... come next election--throw them all out with the dirty polluted water.... lol

any way.... here are the two very sad pix....

One thing for sure - if a tourist she din't bring the west suit in her suitcase and there has to be a dive operator out their or a flat bottom tourist boat that can assist. There must also be a hotel, a suitcase or something to link her back. Family and friends notwithstanding it is unlikely she was alone or people did not know her whereabouts. Something will eventually turn up but doubtful through police investigation and then when something does, they will take the credit for another case solved. Sadly the victims family will be devastated at the delays and may already being trying to contact her - it is only time.