Foul Weather Stalls Search For Missing Phuket Tourist

[george]

Foul weather stalls search for missing Phuket tourist

Phuket lifeguards consider how they can safely resume the search

for missing tourist Ruging Lin.

HOPE FADES: Dismal weather blows in at Karon Beach this afternoon,

forcing the rescue party to delay their search.

PHUKET: -- Bad weather today hampered the search for a Chinese tourist who disappeared under large waves at Karon Beach yesterday evening.

Rescue parties, including lifeguards from Karon Beach and the Royal Thai Navy, could only safely search for the 27-year-old tourist, named as ‘Mr Ruging Lin’, from 3pm to 5pm today, said Karon Municipality Sea Rescue Center Chief Supachai Junphet.

“We tried to resume the search this morning but weather was so rough we had to delay the search until this afternoon,” he said.

“However, we had to call off the search at 5pm because the weather was deteriorating,” he added.

Chief Supachai held little hope for Mr Lin’s survival.

“I don’t think he is still alive,” he said.

Mr Lin disappeared in rough surf at Karon Beach at about 6pm yesterday while swimming with his parents and girlfriend.

He and his family apparently ignored red flags and entered the dangerous surf, with strong waves reportedly reaching several meters in height.

A search was launched after Mr Lin’s family realized that their son had not resurfaced.

That search lasted only one hour until foul weather forced officials to wait until this morning.

-- Phuket Gazette 2011-07-22

[hawksway]

They need more than red flags on the Beaches and considering the money Thailand makes from Tourism in Phuket it should be possible to drive up and down the Beaches with 4 Wheel Drive Vehicles.

[Atmos]

^ all night patrols?

this one occurred after 6pm, the Australian woman a couple of weeks ago was later than that - I think after 7 when she was reported missing (?), once someone is out in the waves and it's dark there is little any lifeguards could do.

The lifeguards tried to have sections of the beach closed a year ago and failed; while they can advise people not to swim they cannot stop them swimming.

[Samuian]

^ all night patrols?

this one occurred after 6pm, the Australian woman a couple of weeks ago was later than that - I think after 7 when she was reported missing (?), once someone is out in the waves and it's dark there is little any lifeguards could do.

The lifeguards tried to have sections of the beach closed a year ago and failed; while they can advise people not to swim they cannot stop them swimming.

Stupidity is a very difficult disease to cure!

Edited July 23, 2011 by Samuian

[sydneyjed]

Well what else do they need to put up there if people are going to go in surf several meters high...a wall?Believe it or not red flags are the 'norm' on Australian beaches also and people still go in,either when told not to or more often than not when no one else is around.You can't be there for everyone all the time and at some stage commensense has to kickin with people.More often than not many people who get into difficulties cannot swim a yard if their life depended on it or have no concept or understanding of natures elements what so ever!!

They need more than red flags on the Beaches and considering the money Thailand makes from Tourism in Phuket it should be possible to drive up and down the Beaches with 4 Wheel Drive Vehicles.

[stevenl]

They need more than red flags on the Beaches and considering the money Thailand makes from Tourism in Phuket it should be possible to drive up and down the Beaches with 4 Wheel Drive Vehicles.

Considering the amount of flags, plus big signboards as well, people simply choose to ignore the flags.

[khaowong1]

^ all night patrols?

this one occurred after 6pm, the Australian woman a couple of weeks ago was later than that - I think after 7 when she was reported missing (?), once someone is out in the waves and it's dark there is little any lifeguards could do.

The lifeguards tried to have sections of the beach closed a year ago and failed; while they can advise people not to swim they cannot stop them swimming.

Stupidity is a very difficult disease to cure!

Sadhu, Sadhu, Sadhu...

[KarenBravo]

They've now recovered the body of the drowned Chinese tourist.

[Atmos]

I have posted these 2 pics of Karon beach before - and now - again . . . don't know how this compares to current conditions (? anyone there now?)

Third pic was Nai Harn a few days before - the message of that sign looks clear enough to me! and the red flag . . . and swimmers.

The Karon ones were taken 22 June 2009 - at the time I took them to send to swim club friends back home to show how dangerous the beaches could be - look at that drop-off which is below the high-water mark, easy to see how when the tide was in a swimmer could go from ankle-deep to shoulder deep and beyond in just a few steps.

And even worse - people swimming in evening/darkness. This latest man from China is reported as having gone missing about 6pm, but reported to who? The hotel, who call the police, who call the lifeguards? - by then in total darkness.

I looked back at the report of the Australian woman two weeks ago - it was 7.45pm when she was reported missing. Very little can be done in the way of search/rescue at night.

Just an example - not saying it is like this now, and with weather patterns it can change/level out again in a few days. I was living near the waterfront at the time, and remember the horror weekend at the beginning of June 2009 when there were four reported beach drownings in three days.

[sydneyjed]

Thank you Atmos for posting that mate...I get upset everytime I read about another drowning there,as another family and loved ones are suffering because of this!