YOUNG woman has drowned off a notorious beach in Thailand, where she was enjoying the trip of a lifetime. Rebecca Callaghan, aged 21, of Bengeworth, died on Saturday after getting into difficulties in the water at Karon beach in the tourist resort of Phuket, on the western coast of the country. It was reported in the local media Miss Callaghan had hired surfboards with her boyfriend and entered the sea at about 5pm.

After getting into difficulties off the beach, which has a dangerous reputation during the current monsoon season, a nurse who was a tourist on the beach attempted cardiac resuscitation but Miss Callaghan died in Patong Hospital.

Tragedy in Thailand: Family devastated as Rebecca, 21, drowns on holiday (From Worcester News)

RIP Condolence for the family.

Do not swim at KARON BEACH IN MONSOON SEASON..!!!!!!!!! I was almost carried away myself at that beach. Kata beach is about the only swimmable beach in on that side of the island during low season.

Sincere sympathy to the family.

Exactly, sadly everytime I read one of these drowning topics in phuket, Karon is the beach.

Point to Point longshore current :

At the rocky point on the left side of diagram the water is comming in from current and swell direction.

At the rocky point on the right side of diagrm the water is outbound

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

The water sweeps along the shore in a side rip , a deep "gutter" forms right off shore

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

---------------------------------the beach-----------------------------------------------------------

People get in trouble in a setup like this because they panic when they lose control.

Actually the waves can be your friend here if you can bodysurf in.

If your not a strong enough swimmer to power swim in . Then just relax, tread water

and just let yourself be carried along for the ride .You will be taken out aways off the point

and dropped off. Someone then can pick you up

.

British woman, 21, is latest Phuket drowning death

Unlike their Australian counterparts, Phuket lifeguards cannot legally prevent swimmers from entering the sea when conditions are dangerous.

PHUKET: -- The drowning death of a 21-year-old British woman at Karon Beach over the weekend has left Phuket lifeguards frustrated over the failure of foreign tourists to heed their warnings not to enter the surf when red warning flags are flying.

Rebecca Callaghan, from Evesham in Worcestershire, was in Phuket with her boyfriend as part of a holiday that took in Australia and Indonesia as well as Thailand. She was due to start a university degree in September.

Lifeguard station chief U-tane Singsom said Miss Callaghan arrived at the beach around 5pm and entered the surf despite visible red flags and a verbal warning.

Her boyfriend rented a body board and waded out, followed by Miss Callaghan who entered without an aid.

Despite staying in shallow waters, she was pummeled by large waves and went under.

Lifeguards pulled her out and aided by a vacationing nurse, Savanna Sorensen, performed CPR before she was taken to Patong Hospital.

Miss Callaghan died there later that evening.

In an interview with the Evesham Journal, her family this week paid tribute to their “special daughter”.

Her mother Rosie told the Journal that Miss Callaghan “would always be remembered for her bubbly and caring nature”.

Her brother said: “We would like to say to those who knew her to remember Becky how she was – to think of her when they were with her and hopefully that was a time when they were happy and laughing.”

Her funeral was expected to take place in Bengeworth in England.

Around the same time as the tragedy that claimed Miss Callaghan’s life, two Thai teenagers had to be rescued by lifeguards at Nai Harn Beach.

Chaiphoom Boonrasri, 16, Kanithanee Hong-asurachet, 15, were playing in shallow water when the current dragged them out to sea.

They were saved by beach guards. Mr Chaiphoom was taken to Vachira Hospital while

Miss Kanithanee was taken to Bangkok Hospital.

A fourth incident took place at Kata Beach the same day when a Korean tourist, Liu Gang, entered the surf around 5:20pm despite red flags and being warned by lifeguards.

After being hit several times by large waves, an exhausted Mr Liu had to be rescued and taken to Bangkok Hospital for treatment.

Mr U-tane, who is responsible for Karon Beach, Kata Beach and Kata Noi Beach, said that during the rainy season the beaches were perfect for surfing – but not swimming.

“To play in the water with a surfboard is not that dangerous because the surfboard is a floating device helping you stay on the water's surface. But to play without any board is very dangerous,” he said.

All four accidents on the same day had one thing in common: tourists ignored water safety signs, flags and lifeguards’ warnings, he said.

Mr U-tane said he was frustrated when a drowning took place as it was not only the victim who was at risk, but also the lifeguards trying to save them.

“It is very difficult to help people in the water with big waves. When lifeguards warn tourists not to swim and red flags are flying, the tourists get angry and use bad words. But when a drowning really happens and someone dies, lifeguards are blamed for not doing their duty,” he said.

-- Phuket Gazette 2010-06-18

Sad news.

RIP.