Lost French tourist rescued from Phuket jungle

[webfact]

Lost French tourist rescued from Phuket jungle
Phuket Gazette


French tourist Erik Pourier (center) enjoys a much-needed drink after his rescue, with Mr Ken (left) and Phuket Tourist Police Volunteer Simon Lutterell. Photo: Supplied

PHUKET: -- A hastily formed search instigated by an expat Phuket Tourist Police Volunteer led to the safe recovery of 25-year-old French tourist Erik Pourier, who became lost in the jungle at the Khao Phra Thaew wildlife sanctuary in Thalang in the dark.

On his first trip to Phuket, Mr Pourier had rented a motorbike to explore the island, and decided to visit the Bang Pae Waterfall late Wednesday afternoon.

Leaving his motorbike by the park entrance, he hiked alone along the trail for about 40 minutes, until he realized that it was too late in the day to reach the waterfall during daylight. Mr Pourier turned back, but darkness quickly fell and he became disoriented as to which direction to walk.

“Luckily, Erik had his mobile phone and although the network coverage was patchy, he was able to call the only number stored on his new Thai SIM card – that of the 24/7 Airport Hotel, where he was staying,” long-standing Phuket Tourist Police Volunteer Simon Luttrell told the Phuket Gazette.

“His luck continued – I actually answered his call as I live at the hotel, which is owned by my Thai family.”

By the time Mr Pourier made contact, although uninjured, he was becoming increasingly concerned about his situation.

“I told him to remain calm and to remain where he was,” said Mr Luttrell, who drove quickly to the wildlife reserve and alerted the park rangers.

“Myself and a local man, Mr Ken, who knows the park very well, scrambled for about 30 minutes up the hill. From time to time, I was able to contact Erik by telephone and reassure him that rescue was on the way,” Mr Luttrell told the Gazette.

The two rescuers were soon within shouting range and shortly afterward Mr Pourier was found safe and well. “Apart from a few cuts and scratches where he had fallen on the slippery path in the darkness,” said Mr Luttrell.

All three made their way slowly down to the park restaurant, where , a very-relieved-to-be-rescued Mr Pourier rehydrated with the cool drinks available.

“This is one holiday experience I will not forget,” he laughed.

Mr Luttrell credited the speed of the rescue to Mr Ken, whose local knowledge of the park was vital in finding Mr Pourier.

“If you are going to walk in the park, please bear in mind that darkness falls around 6:30pm,” Mr Luttrell advised.

“Do not try to walk to the waterfall in the late afternoon because you will not have enough time to return in daylight. Once darkness falls, it is pitch black in the jungle, and without a flashlight you simply cannot walk a few steps,” he said.

Any foreigners who find themselves in distress are urged to call the Tourist Police Volunteer 24-hour hotline: 1155.

— Phuket Gazette

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket-news/Lost-French-tourist-rescued-Phuket-jungle/29616


-- Phuket Gazette 2014-05-30

[Old Croc]

Getting a strong feeling of Deja vu with this story.

Didn't a couple of French citizens do the same thing last year?

Well done Simon for organising the rescue.

Edited May 30, 2014 by Old Croc

[NamKangMan]

Good work Simon, and Mr. Ken.

This guy was lucky he was staying at your hotel, and had the phone number, otherwise, he may have spent the night out there.

Edited May 30, 2014 by NamKangMan

[Guest]

Getting a strong feeling of Deja vu with this story.

Didn't a couple of French citizens do the same thing last year?

Well done Simon for organising the rescue.

Not sure, but I think it was on the other side of the mountain.

The path from the gibbon project to the waterfall is quite straight forward and shouldn't take more than 10 minutes. I wonder what route did the tourist took?

[LivinginKata]

Well done Simon.

[steelepulse]

Nice work simon43. Yes old croc, there were some lost French people in the news recently.

[Shot]

He should have left a trail of breadcrumbs and cheese.

[NamKangMan]

He should have left a trail of breadcrumbs and cheese.

Phuket doesn't get many backpackers these days.

[Old Croc]

He should have left a trail of breadcrumbs and cheese.

Onions would be better:

[simon43]

The only reason that I could be bothered to tramp in a steaming hot and pitch-dark jungle to rescue him was because he hadn't yet paid his room bill......

[wehavenofuture]

Another idiot. They should be charging a rescue fee, by the hour.

[stevenl]

Another idiot. They should be charging a rescue fee, by the hour.

Why somebody feels the need to spoil a nice feel good thread like this one I really can't understand.

Good job Simon.

[Chainsaw]

Another idiot. They should be charging a rescue fee, by the hour.

Why somebody feels the need to spoil a nice feel good thread like this one I really can't understand.

Good job Simon.

+1 Well done Simon. Nice to have a thread with a feel-good factor.

[belg]

they should give every visitor a bag of rice, for a trail ... preferable the rotting kind, lots of those in the warehouse

[Johnnie99]

Well done to the rescuers but ... seriously? Lost in the Phuket jungle?

Keep walking for an hour in as straight a line as you can manage and bingo!

[lucifer666]

So he had a mobile phone. Don't they all come with a GPS nowadays?

[simon43]

Keep walking for an hour in as straight a line as you can manage and bingo!

Yes it sounds easy from behind your keyboard

The rain was pouring down and he had no flashlight. It was totally pitch dark except for the fireflies. When we were helping him down the Thai guide thought he was following the wrong path because there was a large tree blocking that path. Then we realized that the tree had actually fallen down after we had walked up the path earlier. So we had to force our way through the broken branches to regain the path.

My mobile phone doesn't have a GPS. Come to think of it, my phone doesn't even have internet...

Don't forget that in the dense trees you are unlikely to receive a signal from the GPS satellites - they operate at 1.6GHz.

I should add that I encountered one other issue with this rescue that I hadn't envisaged. Every time that I shouted out for Erik, or blew my whistle, my Thai guide told me off for 'waking the jungle spirits'!! Makes doing a rescue rather difficult when you have to whisper for the person you're searching for...

Simon

PS - Below is a photo that I took (with flash) of the Thai guide as we scrambled up a small stream. Bit dark......

Edited May 30, 2014 by simon43

[Shot]

A flashlight (torch) app. on your Android or Iphone can be a big help. It turns your flash LED into a constant source of light. Also some options for the screen if lower light is desired. Punch in ‘flashlight” at you favorite app store. I use Tiny Flashlight + LED by Nikolay Ananiev.

　

Edited May 30, 2014 by Shot

[NamKangMan]

Simon, was his rental motorbike still there?

I hope some members wouldn't think a question like that would wreck this nice story?

Edited May 30, 2014 by NamKangMan

[NamKangMan]

A flashlight (torch) app. on your Android or Iphone can be a big help. It turns your flash LED into a constant source of light. Also some options for the screen if lower light is desired. Punch in ‘flashlight” at you favorite app store. I use Tiny Flashlight + LED by Nikolay Ananiev.

　

There are some great apps arounds, but I still prefer to use my brain and common sense, before an app.

[Shot]

A flashlight (torch) app. on your Android or Iphone can be a big help. It turns your flash LED into a constant source of light. Also some options for the screen if lower light is desired. Punch in ‘flashlight” at you favorite app store. I use Tiny Flashlight + LED by Nikolay Ananiev.

　

There are some great apps arounds, but I still prefer to use my brain and common sense, before an app.

Agree, but it can be useful in many situation. Just another tool you can add to your common sense arsenal.

[NamKangMan]

A flashlight (torch) app. on your Android or Iphone can be a big help. It turns your flash LED into a constant source of light. Also some options for the screen if lower light is desired. Punch in ‘flashlight” at you favorite app store. I use Tiny Flashlight + LED by Nikolay Ananiev.

　

There are some great apps arounds, but I still prefer to use my brain and common sense, before an app.

Agree, but it can be useful in many situation. Just another tool you can add to your common sense arsenal.

Just mucking about, Shot.

The mobile phone has been the saviouir, and undoing, of many in recent times.

Put together with social media, people have become celebrities, over night, or in gaol the next day.

The smart phone truly has become the greatest object to carry/wear, since the wrist watch was invented.

[simon43]

Punch in ‘flashlight” at you favorite app store. I use Tiny Flashlight + LED by Nikolay Ananiev.

I will remember your advice when I upgrade from my 600 baht Nokia phone....

Seriously, I always carry a flashlight, whistle, GPS, first-aid kit etc in my car, as well as my 'heavy-duty' shortwave transceiver.

Yes, the motorbike was still parked right by the park ranger's hut. You might think that he would have noticed that the bike was still there and the rider not yet returned, but apparently he missed the day that common-sense was handed out, - and so did the tourist....

[ggt]

Good story...happy ending...could have been tragic...thank you volunteers for your quick response...

[fiddlehead]

I hiked up there about a month ago.
It's easy to get lost as there are many trails that Gibbon Rehabilitation people create to get up to check on and feed some they've released.

If you don't know the right path, you will most likely choose the wrong one from time to time.
I'm sure the poster (above) who thinks it would be hard to get lost in the jungle around here is probably a guide, carries a machete to chop through to create a straight line to the nearest road, has his GPS with him, and can maneuver down cliffs in the dark.

Good job Ken and Simon.
I saw some people up there who didn't know if they were on the trail or not.

But, how to mark it best? Probably paint.

[simon43]

But, how to mark it best? Probably paint.

Preferably luminous paint.....

[ableguy]

Well done to the rescuers but ... seriously? Lost in the Phuket jungle?

Keep walking for an hour in as straight a line as you can manage and bingo!

Not in the dark buddy

[Guest]

Could Simon clarify from where did he tried to get the the waterfall and where did you found the man?

I guess there is some tracks from the west side of the mountain as well, but that would be quite long way. Something what fiddlehead could do, but anyone else?

If he tried from the Gibbon rehab side, which route he took? The only path I noticed there (been couple of times) was following the water which comes from the waterfall.

[simon43]

He entered the park from the main entrance, not the back entrance near to the gibbon sanctuary. Then he walked (and walked!) up the hill, but at some time turned off the main footpath and eventually was not on any footpath, just 'pushing' through the jungle.

[YeaBiGgiEs]

Is nice to read about a happy ending for once. Getting tired of the everyday druggings/robberys and "falls" from balconies