Turkish tourist dies in Phuket surf

[webfact]

Turkish tourist dies in Phuket surf
Darawan Naknakhon


Karon Beach yesterday, at about the time Mr Dagdelen drowned. Photo The Phuket News

PHUKET: -- A Turkish tourist drowned early yesterday evening (July 6) at Karon Beach while swimming despite red warning flags, and despite be told not to go in the water by beach guards.

At the time a large storm was approaching the island, pushing higher waves before it.

Yalcin Dagdelen, 45, who was staying at Le Meridien Hotel, went swimming and was overcome by heavy waves. He was rescued by beach guards and rushed to Patong Hospital, but died there.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/turkish-tourist-dies-in-phuket-surf-47229.php


-- Phuket News 2014-07-07

[ClutchClark]

Are beach guards different from life guards?

Beach guards seems like the name of the hotel guards stationed at the beach entrance.

Why do tourists defy fate and swim in high seas?

[pookiki]

The swells don't look that big in the picture. Is there an undertow at this beach? Perhaps a rip tide?

[Costas2008]

RIP, Yalcin.

From a Greek, friend and neighbour of your country.

[JetsetBkk]

Pretty clear to me, even if you can't read English:

.

[stevenl]

Very likely this happened at Karon Noi beach (Le Meridien), so a completely different beach from the photo.

[Docno]

RIP, Yalcin.

From a Greek, friend and neighbour of your country.

I don't agree with a lot of what you write on TV, Costas, but I'm very impressed with your sentiment here. I lot of people in your 'neighbourhood' (and elsewhere) could learn from you.

[transam]

Many years ago I tried to save 3 folk in the UK swimming in daft water, I failed but a Life boat didn't. Some folk are so stupid they deserve their fate........

[Dararasmi]

That Phuket surf can be deadly. Nearly "been there" myself. Play in it, don't play with it.

[jaiyen]

I have had a close call at Kata beach on a windy day with a rough sea. Looked OK for a swim, I am a good swimmer. Didnt go out far but every time I swam back in a massive under current swept me back out again and the water crashed over my head, It didnt take long to get tired and take a few mouthfuls of water. So I just timed it right and swam flat out front crawl and got back in my depth so I could touch the sand again. Thats when I could feel the strong pull of the backwash. All of Kata and Karon is DEADLY when the water is rough. Please be aware. I read so many times of tourists drowning in this area on a rough day.

[jigagee]

Is there an undertow at this beach?

Yes , like you wouldn't believe ,

4 years ago there (no flags) I barely survived , but in doing so was able to raise the alarm, for the jet ski guys to save 4 others (Koreans)

all went to hospital , 2 were resuscitated ...

There should be a warning on the beach saying how many have died in the last XX number of months ...

I

[ChrisY1]

Obviously a lot rougher and dangerous in Phuket than in the Bosphorus....RIP K. Yalcin

[avander]

Is there an undertow at this beach?

Yes , like you wouldn't believe ,

4 years ago there (no flags) I barely survived , but in doing so was able to raise the alarm, for the jet ski guys to save 4 others (Koreans)

all went to hospital , 2 were resuscitated ...

There should be a warning on the beach saying how many have died in the last XX number of months ...

I

Thanks for the confirmation jigagee,

I am a (ex)surfer and bodysurfer and was wondering why the picture seemed at odds with the situation. Rips and undertows can be very dangerous but local beachgoers in Oz are usually taught from a young age how to "read" the ocean and can usually tell where dangerous areas are. Even so we have a quite a few drownings every year, mostly but not always, tourists.

This guy probably had no idea and thought it was safe based on the same thinking as me just looking at a photo.

Some beaches are just plain dangerous all the time but more so when a little swell builds up. A change of sandbanks can render it safer but not always.

We have warning symbols for rips etc in Australia so maybe more signs in more languages although they probably already have them and people just ignore them anyway..

Sad for them and very sad for this guy and his family. RIP (no pun intended).

[oldsailor35]

Are beach guards different from life guards?

Beach guards seems like the name of the hotel guards stationed at the beach entrance.

Why do tourists defy fate and swim in high seas?

Yes, and RED flags everywhere !

[oldsailor35]

Jaiyen.........Worst thing you can do in a rip is try to fight it, you will eventually tire out and drown. ALWAYS just surface float with the rip, try to swim parallel with the beach and you will quickly get out of the rip. Do not try to swim into it as you did.

[catweazle]

And it is - surprise, surprise! - that bloody Karon Beach again... For the 23 years I am here the most drownings are reported from that #$ck!ng beach. Karon claims victims every year due to extremely dangerous undercurrents. A friend of mine, who is a very good swimmer, almost died himself trying to rescue a drowning tourist several years back. A Thai man with a rope attached to his body and several helpers on the beach pulling them back in saved their lives. Karon is the only beach in Phuket that is dangerous even during high season, especially during full moon. In my opinion this beach should be shut down for swimming and watersports in general for good (at least during off season) with severe financial penalties to offenders and huge signs along the beach. Karon is a death trap and every Phuketian knows it - nothing is done because it would hurt business...

Edited July 7, 2014 by catweazle

[haikurd]

What an awful thing for everyone involved. Very sad, current conditions may be very different where this fellow was from, likely he didn't realize the danger. Have heard many stories of near-misses from friends who were used to Atlantic beaches in Americas and went to Pacific beaches for the first time...people are used to their own environment & do not realize the danger.

[sydneyjed]

The last time I was down there some 4 years back at Kata beach reports from our hotel staff every day of a drowning..three in 5days!Was just going down for a sundowner drink at the beach bar there and everyone was pointing and screaming to someone in trouble in the surf...that's all they were doing pointing!After a minute or so of seeing what was not going to happen I stripped off and went in after the guy..he'd just about got on to a sand bank there anyhow but was absolutely shot..he was German!There was no patrol..only a BiB motor bike cop standing there looking with the rest of the crowd...upset my whole holiday and won't ever go down to stay there again!!

[stevenl]

And it is - surprise, surprise! - that bloody Karon Beach again... For the 23 years I am here the most drownings are reported from that #$ck!ng beach. Karon claims victims every year due to extremely dangerous undercurrents. A friend of mine, who is a very good swimmer, almost died himself trying to rescue a drowning tourist several years back. A Thai man with a rope attached to his body and several helpers on the beach pulling them back in saved their lives. Karon is the only beach in Phuket that is dangerous even during high season, especially during full moon. In my opinion this beach should be shut down for swimming and watersports in general for good (at least during off season) with severe financial penalties to offenders and huge signs along the beach. Karon is a death trap and every Phuketian knows it - nothing is done because it would hurt business...

Probably was Karon Noi, not Karon, so a completely different beach.

[stevenl]

What an awful thing for everyone involved. Very sad, current conditions may be very different where this fellow was from, likely he didn't realize the danger. Have heard many stories of near-misses from friends who were used to Atlantic beaches in Americas and went to Pacific beaches for the first time...people are used to their own environment & do not realize the danger.

That's why there are many, many signs, big and small, and the beach guards warn. But he ignored the warnings.

So 'he did not realize the danger' is probably true, but he choose to ignore the warnings out of ignorance.

[Oziex1]

And it is - surprise, surprise! - that bloody Karon Beach again... For the 23 years I am here the most drownings are reported from that #$ck!ng beach. Karon claims victims every year due to extremely dangerous undercurrents. A friend of mine, who is a very good swimmer, almost died himself trying to rescue a drowning tourist several years back. A Thai man with a rope attached to his body and several helpers on the beach pulling them back in saved their lives. Karon is the only beach in Phuket that is dangerous even during high season, especially during full moon. In my opinion this beach should be shut down for swimming and watersports in general for good (at least during off season) with severe financial penalties to offenders and huge signs along the beach. Karon is a death trap and every Phuketian knows it - nothing is done because it would hurt business...

Probably was Karon Noi, not Karon, so a completely different beach.

Steve Karon Noi or Kata Noi?

[stevenl]

And it is - surprise, surprise! - that bloody Karon Beach again... For the 23 years I am here the most drownings are reported from that #$ck!ng beach. Karon claims victims every year due to extremely dangerous undercurrents. A friend of mine, who is a very good swimmer, almost died himself trying to rescue a drowning tourist several years back. A Thai man with a rope attached to his body and several helpers on the beach pulling them back in saved their lives. Karon is the only beach in Phuket that is dangerous even during high season, especially during full moon. In my opinion this beach should be shut down for swimming and watersports in general for good (at least during off season) with severe financial penalties to offenders and huge signs along the beach. Karon is a death trap and every Phuketian knows it - nothing is done because it would hurt business...

Probably was Karon Noi, not Karon, so a completely different beach.

Steve Karon Noi or Kata Noi?

Le Meridien is in Karon Noi.

[TaoNow]

I don't understand the thinking of 'catweazle' and others like him/her.

You would close down an entire 2 km beach for half the year just because some careless folks ignore warnings and drown there?

Not every day is treacherous during the Monsoon.

For three years I swam several times a week at Kata Noi (different beach from Karon Noi but still has rip currents on occasion). The days when swimming was risky were a small minority during May - September. Most days were safe to swim if you were a competent and sober swimmer.

Yet, in a defensive strategy, red flags were posted almost every day along the beach, effectively banning swimming.

That is clearly not the solution and it is an extreme measure to prevent tens of thousands of beach-goers from enjoying the surf in order to protect a few fools.

By all means, warn people, but let adults swim at their own risk.

[stevenl]

I don't understand the thinking of 'catweazle' and others like him/her.

You would close down an entire 2 km beach for half the year just because some careless folks ignore warnings and drown there?

Not every day is treacherous during the Monsoon.

For three years I swam several times a week at Kata Noi (different beach from Karon Noi but still has rip currents on occasion). The days when swimming was risky were a small minority during May - September. Most days were safe to swim if you were a competent and sober swimmer.

Yet, in a defensive strategy, red flags were posted almost every day along the beach, effectively banning swimming.

That is clearly not the solution and it is an extreme measure to prevent tens of thousands of beach-goers from enjoying the surf in order to protect a few fools.

By all means, warn people, but let adults swim at their own risk.

The problem is that more and more people don't know the risks, even if they are warned. Experiencing the might of nature is different from looking at it from the beach.

So I think something needs to be done, must admit though I don't know what. On one hand you want to offer the people that know what they're doing the opportunity to enjoy the beach, on the other hand you want to keep the others out of the water, or better, keep them in a safe area.

[NamKangMan]

I don't understand the thinking of 'catweazle' and others like him/her.

You would close down an entire 2 km beach for half the year just because some careless folks ignore warnings and drown there?

Not every day is treacherous during the Monsoon.

For three years I swam several times a week at Kata Noi (different beach from Karon Noi but still has rip currents on occasion). The days when swimming was risky were a small minority during May - September. Most days were safe to swim if you were a competent and sober swimmer.

Yet, in a defensive strategy, red flags were posted almost every day along the beach, effectively banning swimming.

That is clearly not the solution and it is an extreme measure to prevent tens of thousands of beach-goers from enjoying the surf in order to protect a few fools.

By all means, warn people, but let adults swim at their own risk.

The problem is that more and more people don't know the risks, even if they are warned. Experiencing the might of nature is different from looking at it from the beach.

So I think something needs to be done, must admit though I don't know what. On one hand you want to offer the people that know what they're doing the opportunity to enjoy the beach, on the other hand you want to keep the others out of the water, or better, keep them in a safe area.

Maybe a small rubber inflatable boat, with engine, staffed with two life guards, sitting out off the most popular beaches, patrolling the water for anyone entering a dangerous area, or anyone getting into trouble, may be the answer.

Not only would it be a quicker response to an incident, but they could also act like "beach security" and demand people move closer to shore, for their own safety.

Of course, there is a cost, but these boats a resonably cheap to purchase and to run.

[TaoNow]

SL and Iceman:

I know you mean well...but, according to this logic, you would need to post around-the-clock, prevent-and-rescue teams on the dangerous roads of Phuket during the rainy season to catch all those risky motorcyclists who speed without a helmet while intoxicated.

Why are the beaches such a sacred spot of life-preservation for the fool-hardy?

[NamKangMan]

SL and Iceman:

I know you mean well...but, according to this logic, you would need to post around-the-clock, prevent-and-rescue teams on the dangerous roads of Phuket during the rainy season to catch all those risky motorcyclists who speed without a helmet while intoxicated.

Why are the beaches such a sacred spot of life-preservation for the fool-hardy?

Phuket has a paid police service, if you could call them that, and it's already in their charter to enforce the laws of Thailand.

Yes, I know you never see them "patrolling" - they just set up road blocks, so everyone slows down, puts their helmet on, and after passing through, off with the helmet and they speed up again. Some even do a U-turn to avoid the check poing all together. For those who do get caught, many are able to pay a bribe, and be on their way.

I agree, at night, the amount of intoxicated driving/riding is frightening. I am well known on this forum for stating it's the main reason Phuket needs proper public transport, particularly at night, and along the coast road, in order to save lives.

Going for a swim in dangerous water is not a breach of any law, to my knowledge. In some cases, it's the lack of ability, fitness and local knowledge, that claims the lives of tourists. On rare occasions, alcohol can also involved.

I'm not suggesting we turn Phuket into a "nanny state" and no need to have active water patrols of the main beaches, 24/7, just peak hours of the day for swimmers, and particularly when the water is dangerous.

My suggestion is reasonably cheap to implement. The life guards are already there, but if they had a small motorized craft, and patrolled swimmers straying too far from shore, it could save lives, for only a small financial outlay.

[stevenl]

SL and Iceman:

I know you mean well...but, according to this logic, you would need to post around-the-clock, prevent-and-rescue teams on the dangerous roads of Phuket during the rainy season to catch all those risky motorcyclists who speed without a helmet while intoxicated.

Why are the beaches such a sacred spot of life-preservation for the fool-hardy?

Big difference between what I said and your conclusion. But to continue with your comparison, when somebody sees a car or motorbike for the first time you inform them about it and make sure they don't do anything stupid. Why would it be any different here, except we're talking adults now, but ignorant adults. They need to be protected, I just don't know how.

[stevenl]

BTW, I can confirm it was at Karon Noi beach, so Le Meridien, not Karon Beach. And that is the place where there are probably the best trained and most experienced life guards of the whole of Thailand, in fact their instructor is there from Australia at the moment for their yearly 3 week training.

It was a 3-person rescue, 2 were saved, one was not.

And for those who claim it does not look rough: there were 2 jetski's involved in the rescue, one from the lifeguards and 1 from a rental guy, both were not able to get into the water, they were thrown back because of the high surf.

[TaoNow]

@steven;

Why do they need "to be protected" other than posting warnings to swim at your own risk?

We are talking about common sense.