Russian Tourist Cut In Half By Speedboat's Propellers, Another Missing

[mamanoodle]

Very sad.

But a group of us were out there last week. There were a large number of foreigners there. However many of them insisted in swimming in the area designated for jet ski or speed boats. There were a number of near misses. The owner of the hotel there on several occassions tried to explain where people should swim but he was ignored.

begs

hard to grasp that a near miss and swimmers unwilling to move. What hotel?

Hard Tien. The tourists we saw (ironically, part of a large Russian tour group) had been on the beach for a while, directly in front of where all the speedboats and jetskis were coming and going, and there is a large area cordoned off for swimming, there were a few near misses that day with boats and jetskis with people snorkelling or just floating on their backs. The unbelievable part of it was how many more swam or stood in the boat lane after the Thai restaurant, boat and jetski guys told them to move to the safe swimming area, even though it was obvious how dangerous it was with all the boats, even from where we were, on the balcony directly above the beach, you could not always see a snorkeller or floater until they stood up.

[mike404045]

what a horrible way to die..

wont happen to me either since i dont like to swim in the sea

pools are fun.. unless you get hit with electrical wires

[oldbill]

I spent several days on Pattaya beach over the Christmas period with my family watching the shenanigans going on with the jet skis and banana boats and the boats with the long propeller shaft attached to a V8 engine.

Although their is a buoyed off area along the beach no one takes any notice of these areas. I also witnessed a farang who disagreed with a the jet ski renters when he was attacked by several thais after some disagreement over payment. This all happened opposite the Police stn on beach road. When the tourist Police came along the Thais were so rude and disresptful to the Police I am not surprised they have no respect for water regulations (IMHO).

I spent several months working for a dive school off koh lan about 8 years ago and even back then you took your life in your hands and I reguarly used an SMB.

RIP

[Donnyboy]

needless deaths RIP

[Cando]

On the bright side maybe the families will be offered 5,000 baht compensation

[/quote

11Jan10

As a Senior Member we would expect a more compasionate answer

out of you.

However, in the end we ALL get what we deserve.

Cando

[Basil B]

Can somebody who is familiar with diving regulations put up or link to images of these various flags & markers?

I sometimes jet ski in Pattaya & i admit i wouldn't know what to look for until reading this sad thread.

There seems to be a red & white (International)? flag AND a blue & white one. This is confusing, which means what?

Yes there are two dive flags, also rather unsure of the actual meaning of each.

The red one, a rectangle or square with diagonal white line corner to corner.

The Blue and White one, with an inverted V cut in it’s out edge.

I have pointed out on another thread not to long ago that a lot of boats now seem to have the dive flag painted on even if they a not primarily used as dive boats and no doubt there is now complacency due to there being so many boats with the dive flag on them that rarely do take out SCUBA divers.

Personally I would like to see all dive boats fly a dive flag when divers are in the water with clear guide lines to all boat operators that they must keep clear of dive boat flying a dive flag and SMB’s or get heavy fines and boats impounded.

As for SMB’s they are lightweight and inexpensive, I have 3 and I nearly always dive with one, the only problem with them is that you need to have a line attached which always seems to entangle me or my buddy.

But there again it seem that talk of Flags and SMB’s may be of little importance here as it looks like this guy was swimming and snorkelling (skin diving/free diving) some 200 to 300 meter s offshore.

[Lancashirelad]

Thanks for posting those Basil.

Also, it said the boat driver saw the guys surface, but was unable to stop. Ok, maybe not, but why couldn't he have 1. dethrottled. 2. knocked the props out of gear. 3. steered away?

[asean]

Boats and jetskis ignoring dive flags is an international common occurence as is Renting jetskis to novices who would not know what a dive flag or sausage is. Even in the overegulated waterways of Australia where more accidents still happen. From the second report the unfortunate victim should not have been snorkling where he was. It is an extremely busy boating and jetski area. He just did not have enough sea-sense to ascertain that. There are designated swimming areas for a reason. In defence of the boat drivers most of them are not Cowboys. They really do know how to handle a boat. You try and reverse a fully loaded 30ft boat onto a beach, not beach it or the props, in 3ft chop, wind gusts, drop anchor, run back to helm, reverse throttle the slack off the anchor line, drop ladder and unload up to forty non boating passengers, Single handedly. These guys know boating and most of them are older not young. I can't say same for jetski operators.

THis is not a horror (nail in the coffin) story. It was an unfortunate boating accident caused more by an error of judgement by the swimmer and not the boat driver.

[asiawatcher]

International diving warns all boats by the use of flags there are divers below. Boats by maritime law are supposed to avoid the areas marked by flags. So the questions are -

1) Did the dive operator have the area flagged?

2) Did the speed boat driver have a legitimate license?

3) If the divers were outside an area - did the dive operator do anything to reverse the situation.

Right now it looks like a total disregard by the Thai side but I guess that will never be determined as the payoffs will ensure ongoing freedom to do what they want. Sad for the hacked divers to be sure but speed boats and people in the water is a recipe for disaster which the Thai Authorities need to take responsibility for.

[clickblade]

Very Sad story

Did the divers have dive markers up, Or they certainly should have in waters where speed boats are about

[moe666]

Read the full post it appeard the Russian was swimming in a restricted area, the boat operator unable to stop or avoid the swimmer.

[virtualtraveller]

Same thing that killed singer Kirsty McColl in Cancun a few years back.

[snowflake]

Very sad.

But a group of us were out there last week. There were a large number of foreigners there. However many of them insisted in swimming in the area designated for jet ski or speed boats. There were a number of near misses. The owner of the hotel there on several occassions tried to explain where people should swim but he was ignored.

begs

Now, I guess this post is the most accurate I have ever read... People try to warn other people, nobody cares enough to listen and they might get lucky...

Why is it that we think we are so much better and know more about local things than the hotel owners/lifeguards? Maybe, if we start to listen to them a bit more, less people will die... No more freak accidents off the coast of Phuket... 3M waves, maybe no swimming is good! Put up a dive flag or whatever it is called, maybe the boats can see you... If they cross into the restricted zone for swimming, confiscate the boat and huge fines...

RIP- Let us hope that your death will lead to something good so this can stop...

[callum06]

Terrible thing to happen on your holidays!! Dead people don't talk so of course the poor basta"d was in the wrong and the Thai speed boat driver is right. T.I.T

[ingvar]

The report did not say it happened at the koh Larn beach, but near koh Larn, it could have been one of the smaller Islands just North East (Koh Sak, Koh Krok) where I for example very often take my student divers for their first Open Water Dives. These Islands are Ideal for training and very seldom visited by speed boats.

However some times there are speed boats there which is unavoidable anywhere outside Pattaya. Using a marker is rather pointless as the speed boat drivers doesnt care or do not understand, very frequently you see a speed boat speed right over close to the marker. What most drivers do not understand is the difficulty for a begginner diver to maintain their level in shallow water, especially when a bit panicked from having a speed boat drive right over.

Whenever I use a marker when diving near koh Larn, you will see drunken tourists on Jet Skis drive circles around the marker, they simply do not understand the danger, assuming that maintaining the depth for a diver is an easy task.

[Brewsta]

No diving buoys, markers or similar - no go swimming/diving. Very sad, but unsurprising.

I used to teach Sub-Aqua in the Med and due to this latest story, the memories of dreadful safety standards break surface (oops - forgive the pun).

RIP.

Brewsta

[ingvar]

A police investigation revealed that Mr. Oleg and 4 friends had been diving out on the small coral reef that is located off the Tha Yai beach, when he came up from the reef he was subsequently hit by a speedboat, dying instantly. It is alleged that the position at which the accident occurred, was well into the prohibited area reserved for the numerous boats that pass-by on their way to and from Pattaya and Koh Larn.

The captain of the single outboard engine boat “Kantarat 409,” Mr. Ritthirong Punthula [47] from Naklua, explained to police, that at the time of the accident he was transporting a full boat load of tourists back to Pattaya from Koh Larn. Mr. Punthula stated that as he was so far out from the beach and well in the sea lane that is provided, he had not been expecting anyone in the water at this point. He also stated that when he had noticed the body of Mr. Oleg he did not have enough time to avoid the tragic accident.

Police Colonel Suweera Songmetta informed reporters that Mr Punthula will be arrested and charged with negligent and careless driving occasioning death whilst a drug and alcohol reading will be performed. An examination of the boat and its equipment will also take place over the coming days.

Note: A very similar accident to this occurred in Pattaya on the 7th of January 2006. The victim was Miss Chanida Wongsarat, [26] a Thai computer programmer. Miss Wongsarat was similarly diving in the water when a speedboat ran over the top of her whilst she was rising from the seabed.

[AleG]

The report did not say it happened at the koh Larn beach, but near koh Larn, it could have been one of the smaller Islands just North East (Koh Sak, Koh Krok) where I for example very often take my student divers for their first Open Water Dives. These Islands are Ideal for training and very seldom visited by speed boats.

However some times there are speed boats there which is unavoidable anywhere outside Pattaya. Using a marker is rather pointless as the speed boat drivers doesnt care or do not understand, very frequently you see a speed boat speed right over close to the marker. What most drivers do not understand is the difficulty for a begginner diver to maintain their level in shallow water, especially when a bit panicked from having a speed boat drive right over.

Whenever I use a marker when diving near koh Larn, you will see drunken tourists on Jet Skis drive circles around the marker, they simply do not understand the danger, assuming that maintaining the depth for a diver is an easy task.

I've dived in a couple islands near Pattaya, Koh Sak is definitely more quite and safe, not to speak of better water visibility.

As for using a marker buoy, I always carry one, even if I'm in a group with a dive master, just in case I get separated and have to go up on my own. However seeing how things are in Pattaya perhaps I'd rather deploy one of these:

It's rather unnerving to be in a safety stop and hear the boats zipping around, since water transmits sound much faster than air it's impossible to know which direction the noise is coming from, so you have to keep your head on a swivel looking every direction when going up.

[Lancelot]

RIP. Considering the disregard for personal safety and lack of rules enforcement, I'm surprised there are not more fatal accidents here in Thailand.

[Somrak]

Very sad.

I woud like to know if the "killer" stays in jail or if they let him go already?

Only a long jailtime will teach him, the other "pilots" and the owners of such boats to respect life.

[AleG]

Very sad.

I woud like to know if the "killer" stays in jail or if they let him go already?

Only a long jailtime will teach him, the other "pilots" and the owners of such boats to respect life.

Come on, the killed man was swimming, probably snorkeling and possibly free diving in a boat corridor. It would had been nice it the boat driver would had seen him, but the bulk of the blame lies on the dead man.

[Davidusaf99]

Never nice to blame the deceased. Rest in Peace. Try to make sure nothing like this happens again (wishful thinking)

[prinzregent]

... in would like to see a list of dead FALANG 2009 ...

[raro]

another post deleted and the offender won't post for a coup of days.

[AVOMan]

My GF read in a Thai newspaper that this guy was snorkeling, not diving. If you look at the photos there is no indication of SCUBA gear. Very unfortunate accident but not surprising as I regularly visit Koh Lan and see people swimming outside the designated areas and also snorkeling in areas where lunatic jetski operators run and speedboats come in and out dropping off and picking up passengers.

[tonywebster]

Same thing that killed singer Kirsty McColl in Cancun a few years back.

If by same thing you mean she was killed while swimming that would be correct, however she was hit by a boat in a restricted area, she received a head injury.

Were you using this an example that this can happen in other places or were you using this to show she died in exactly the same way(which she didn't), either way I don't see the relevance really.

Edited January 12, 2010 by tonywebster

[jbhh]

International diving warns all boats by the use of flags there are divers below. Boats by maritime law are supposed to avoid the areas marked by flags. So the questions are -

1) Did the dive operator have the area flagged?

2) Did the speed boat driver have a legitimate license?

3) If the divers were outside an area - did the dive operator do anything to reverse the situation.

Right now it looks like a total disregard by the Thai side but I guess that will never be determined as the payoffs will ensure ongoing freedom to do what they want. Sad for the hacked divers to be sure but speed boats and people in the water is a recipe for disaster which the Thai Authorities need to take responsibility for.

Blame the Thais!!! It has to be a Thais fault!!! Thai Thai Thai...

Nice one... I understand, that Thai's have little value for human life and are in general not as "organized" when it comes to safety, rules and regulations - and/or do not stick to and enforce those that exist. However, with no knowledge of how, when and where (in terms of location in the water) this accident exactly happened, I find it inappropriate to directly point fingers at people. These guys could have just as well been where they should not have been. Why do people here on TV always come up with some crazy theories, based on stories they heard (probably in another TV thread)? Why can't we leave it at: R.I.P and some condolences?!

This will be the last time I waste my time reading all these posts filled with prejudiced crap. Next time I see a news alert I just go to a news site to read up on it. The comments in this forum make me more sad and sick than the actual news.

[raro]

Blame the Thais!!! It has to be a Thais fault!!! Thai Thai Thai...

Nice one... I understand, that Thai's have little value for human life and are in general not as "organized" when it comes to safety, rules and regulations - and/or do not stick to and enforce those that exist. However, with no knowledge of how, when and where (in terms of location in the water) this accident exactly happened, I find it inappropriate to directly point fingers at people. These guys could have just as well been where they should not have been. Why do people here on TV always come up with some crazy theories, based on stories they heard (probably in another TV thread)? Why can't we leave it at: R.I.P and some condolences?!

This will be the last time I waste my time reading all these posts filled with prejudiced crap. Next time I see a news alert I just go to a news site to read up on it. The comments in this forum make me more sad and sick than the actual news.

If you find anything inappropriate, clicking the report is the way to go!

I deleted another post and feel like closing this thread soon.

[Grey11]

Nothing changes, everything stays the same. We'll be here in 10, 20 or even 30 years and the same crap will still be happening whilst people's pockets are lined.

So sad, could be anyone really.

Exactly what my Thai wife said when we returned to Thailand to retire: "I left 30 years ago and when I returned everything is the same." The context was the corruption by the Government, the corporations, etc.

[Ryan88m]

RIP.