Two Students Drown at Hangdong Canyon May 27, 2013

Society

CityNews – On 24th May, two students from Prince Royal’s College and Chiang Mai Vocational School drowned after playing at a man-made canyon in Hangdong.

The canyon has become popular with locals wanting a swim

The police arrived at the seven rai canyon with a rescue team. It took two hours to retrieve the two dead bodies of Chanchai Supalert (17), and Saknarin Boonpornprasert (17) from the water.

Police found out that six boys had gone to the canyon in the early morning of May 24^th after walking to Doi Suthep temple to celebrate Visakha Bucha Day.

The surviving four boys told police that all the friends jumped into the water. They swam out and then swim back towards the side of the canyon. They explained that Saknarin had panicked and tried to grab Chanchai. The two boys then both went under the water. The friends could only watch from the side as the two boys disappeared.

That is very sad. Sounds like Saknarin could not swim and panicked.

I've had this happen to me, and it is frightening. I was held under by someone I was rescuing, and someone had to rescue me.

Very sad and condolences to the families of both boys involved.

Exuberant youth hath no boundaries.

I've worked as a swimming teacher/lifeguard for many years, and unfortunately this happens. The weak swimmer will pull the 'rescuer' towards / under himself for support and to get air. Without training (and sometimes even with) the rescuer can be pulled under the water and drowned, which sounds like what happened here. This is so sad, what an awful chain of events. RIP lads xxx

Some advise if you ever do find yourself in a similar situation; When you approach the person in difficulty STAY AT A SAFE DISTANCE. Talk too them, explain you will help, tell them to turn / roll onto their backs with their heads back. Do not approach them until they do, they will be very panicked and become desperate, eventually they will listen and do as you say. Then you can tow them in by putting your hand under their chin, keep your arm straight and swim breastroke, . You can safely swim to a comfortable depth like this. Hope this may help someone/anyone.

Stay safe

I swim at these canyons and jump from the cliffs from time to time.

Problem is that they are hard to get out of, and I can imagine the more you struggle and grasp at the dirt wall and it gets wet, the harder it would be to hold on.

Poor kids and their families and friends.