Korean Tourist To Phuket Found Dead Snorkeling Off Phi Phi Island

[Lite Beer]

Korean tourist to Phuket found dead snorkeling off Phi Phi Island

Phuket Gazette –

Foreign tourists swimming nearby found Korean day tripper 'Jury kuk Kim', 29, unconscious in the water off Phi Phi Island. AbovePhuket.Com

PHUKET: A 29-year-old Korean tourist on holiday in Phuket has died while snorkeling off Phi Phi Island during a day trip to the popular beach resort.

The man, named by Tourist Police as Jury Kuk Kim, was on a Korean package tour and staying at a hotel in Patong.

The tour group, comprising about 40 tourists from South Korea, arrived in Phuket on Thursday and were due to depart today (September 30).

Tour guide Nattaya Srimaneethan told the Phuket Gazette that about 20 of the tour party went on a day trip to Phi Phi Island, arriving at the popular beach resort isle at about 11:30am.

“We had lunch at about 12:30pm and our Korean tour guide explained to the tour group they had one hour free time to go enjoy themselves and were to regroup at 1:30pm.

“The man [Mr Kim] went off to a beach with a woman from the group. While she laid on the beach sunbathing, he went snorkeling,” explained Ms Nattaya.

Some time during the hour, foreign tourists swimming nearby noticed that Mr Kim was floating immobile for a long time and that his snorkel was submerged, so they went to check on him and found that he was unconscious, she said.

“They pulled him on onto the beach and tried to revive him, but when that failed they rushed him to Phi Phi Hospital, which was close by,” she said.

Mr Kim’s body was returned to Phuket by speedboat and taken to Vachira Phuket Hospital, in Phuket Town, for further medical examination in order to determine any underlying cause of death, Tourist Police told the Gazette.

The Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Bangkok had been notified of the incident and Mr Kim’s older sister was en route to Phuket to make arrangements for her now lost brother, Tourist Police said.

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket_news/2012/Korean-tourist-to-Phuket-found-dead-snorkeling-off-Phi-Phi-Island-18041.html

-- Phuket Gazette 2012-09-30

[Jimjim]

Wow, 29. This is very sad.

Not sure it if would have helped in this situation but always snorkel and also dive with a buddy!

[The Oracle]

Poor fellow. Snorkelling is usually pretty safe but if you dive too deep, as with any time you hold your breath, you have to allow for the ascent. Most inexperienced divers usually just float on the surface. And, as JimJim (above) said. Always swim/snorkel or dive with a buddy. Especially in unknown waters,

In any case, condolences to the family.

[webfact]

Korean tourist snorkeling death ruled as 'drowning'

Phuket Gazette

Doctors at Phi Phi Island Hospital have ruled that 29-year-old Korean tourist Jungkook Kim died of 'drowning'. Photo: Gazette file

PHUKET: -- Hospital staff in Phuket have confirmed that “drowning” has been listed as the official cause of death of the 29-year-old Korean tourist found dead while snorkeling at Phi Phi Island on Saturday.

An International Department officer at Vachira Phuket Hospital confirmed to the Phuket Gazette that the Jungkook Kim, initially named by Tourist Police as “Jury Kuk Kim”, was the same person. Doctors at Phi Phi Island Hospital declared Mr Kim had died by drowning before his body was transferred to the Vachira facility in Phuket Town.

“Mr Kim’s body was first taken to Phi Phi Island Hospital for medical examination, where it was examined to determine the cause of death,” the officer explained.

Medical staff at Phi Phi Island Hospital told the Phuket Gazette today, “We found no wounds on the body, but we found water in the lungs, so we have determined the cause of death to be drowning.”

The doctor, who asked not to be identified, declined to comment further on process of determining the cause of Mr Kim’s death.

However, the doctor did elaborate that no autopsy was performed at the Phi Phi Hospital, as that facility does not have the resources to conduct such an in-depth examination.

“In this particular case, we asked the police to which hospital we should forward the body to, which ended up being Vachira Hospital in Phuket,” the doctor explained.

Staff at Vachira Hospital morgue told the Gazette that Mr Kim’s body was collected by South Korean embassy officials at about 4pm today.

Family members were not present.

“We have not received any request from the family to investigate further about Mr Kim’s death,” the hospital staffer said.

Lt Siwa Saneha of Phi Phi Island Police Station told the Gazette that Mr Kim’s relatives have accepted drowning as the cause of death.

“We were notified of the cause of death by the hospital, and we passed that information on to Mr Kim’s family. They have not expressed any doubt in that conclusion and have not requested an autopsy be conducted,” he said.

Source: http://www.phuketgaz...ning-18062.html

-- Phuket Gazette 2012-10-03