German tourist almost killed by jet ski

[Thaivisa News]

Phuket:- A 55-year-old German tourist was almost killed Saturday when he was knocked unconscious by a speeding jet ski.

Police said the accident happened shortly before 1:20 pm at the Paradise Bay about five kilometers away from the popular Patong Beach.

The tourist was identified as Erich Heim.

The rescue unit of Kusoltham Phuket Foundation stationed at the Patong Hospital was informed at 1:20 pm that a foreign tourist was hit and injured by a jet ski at the Paradise Bay in Tambon Karon in Muang district.

The team rushed to the scene and found that foreign tourists and Thais were surrounding a foreigner who was lying unconsciously on the sand. He was wearing swimming trunks.

The man had a bleeding wound on the right side of his head. The rescuers performed a first aid treatment and gave him oxygen and woke him up before sending him to the Bangkok-Phuket Hospital.

His wife, who appeared frightened, was waiting beside him when the rescuers arrived.

The wife and witnesses told police that Heim was swimming in the sea not far from the beach while the wife was sunbathing on the beach when an unidentified French tourist sped his jet ski to hit Heim in the head and shoulder.

Police said they will conduct further investigation into the accident.

There have been some reports of tourists injured by speeding jet skis earlier. For example, on January 9, a foreign tourist lost control of his jet ski that hit and injured several tourists on Pattaya Beach.

[H1w4yR1da]

Was he the arrested for damaging the jet ski?

[sweatalot]

an unidentified French tourist?

How do they know he is French?

Did he shout merde? Or excusez mois s'il vous plais?

Edited February 28, 2015 by sweatalot

[scotinsiam]

He will need to pay for the damage to the jetski I imagine - hope he recovers ok.

[HeijoshinCool]

an unidentified French tourist?

How do they know he is French?

Did he shout merde? Or excusez mois s'il vous plais?

.

He was wearing a Speedo.

[aussieinthailand]

an unidentified French tourist?

How do they know he is French?

Did he shout merde? Or excusez mois s'il vous plais?

.

He was wearing a Speedo.

Oh say it isn't so, 50'somthing year old German man wearing "Speedo's", we in OZ call em budgie smugglers, and our beloved PM wears em,

Poor guy's will have to pay for the damage,

But hey guess it's just to hard to have flag markers for the jet ski crowd, flags, water, to many moving parts ?

[simon43]

Joke about this incident if you wish, but over the past couple of weeks I have been contacted (in my role as a TPV), by the lifeguards at Kata Beach, Laem Singh Beach and Kamala Beach, all who have requested help from the authorities to control a number of French tourists and French expats who have been riding jetskis in a dangerous manner, close to swimmers and yachts.

Unfortunately (so far), the authorities have failed to act, (despite calls to the 1155 hotline and my calls/enails to my bosses).

Unless idiots like this who ride jetskis without due consideration for swimmers are brought under control, someone is going to get killed.

[chaiyapoon]

There is only one action to take.

Ban jet skis from all tourist beaches in Thailand.

Between tourists who haven't been trained to use them properly and scamming operators these are just accidents waiting to happen.

I'm pretty certain they are illegal anyway as all watercraft need a thai helmsman,

[Bsd]

There is only one action to take.

Ban jet skis from all tourist beaches in Thailand.

Between tourists who haven't been trained to use them properly and scamming operators these are just accidents waiting to happen.

I'm pretty certain they are illegal anyway as all watercraft need a thai helmsman,

Not a Thai helmsman but the rider must have a thai boat licence or equivalent from their home country. Anyway it is not just the tourists but also the thai operators who go and show off in the hopes of getting more customers.

A ban is what is really needed but it is next to impossible.

Where I am the locals got together and:

1. Put up signs in english to explain to tourists why they don't want jet skis in the area

2. Got the support of the phu yai baan and tambon

3. Held a meeting were they outlined all the illegal things the jet ski operators were doing (it was a long list from intimidation to breaching zoning regulations), this meeting was attended by the army who agreed and gave the jet ski guys 90 days to move out.

Since then it has been bouncing back and forth as the jet ski operators find a higher ranked police officer who revokes the order and the locals find an even higher ranked army officer to put it back in place.

Basically it is going to be first one the reaches the PM wins.

[4u2mad]

Build a bonfire of jetskis and sunbeds, Simples

[BlackJack]

ban jet skies as they serve no useful purpose

[Lite Beer]

German man hit by jet-ski at Paradise Beach in Phuket
Eakkapop Thongtub

The German man is currently in hospital after being struck by a jet-ski.

PHUKET: A 55-year-old German man was rushed to hospital yesterday (February 28) after he was hit by a jet-ski at Paradise Beach, five kilometres away from Patong.

At 1:30pm, Kusoldharm rescuers were called to the scene where they found the foreigner, Mr Erich Heim, passed out on the beach, with his head bleeding.

The team treated him with first aid and immediately took him to Patong Hospital, but was later transferred to Bangkok Hospital Phuket.

A witness at the scene said Mr Heim went for a swim not far from the shore, while his German wife was sunbathing on the beach.

The witness said the French tourist, identified by police as Mr Chadd Attardi, 20, who hired the jet-ski went straight into the sea and probably didn’t notice Mr Heim swimming when his jet-ski struck Mr Heim on the head.

Mr Attardi was with six friends when they left the jet-ski zone, which only allows them to stay within Patong. They ended up in Paradise Beach in the Tri Trang area, breaking the regulations.

Police are waiting for Mr Heim to make a full recovery, before they will investigate the matter.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/german-man-hit-by-jet-ski-at-paradise-beach-in-phuket-51210.php

-- Phuket News 2015-03-01

[Soutpeel]

an unidentified French tourist?

How do they know he is French?

Did he shout merde? Or excusez mois s'il vous plais?

he had a prominent white flag flying and was going in the opposite direction from where the incident occurred ?

[torpedo1970]

Police are waiting for Mr Heim to make a full recovery, before they will investigate the matter.

And they will pray to Buddha that he don't recover, it just make investigation so much more easy to invent , sorry investigate.......

maybe he was swimming recklessly, it could even be one of the top things on the BIB's list................... suicide

[soalbundy]

an unidentified French tourist?

How do they know he is French?

Did he shout merde? Or excusez mois s'il vous plais?

They could smell his breath from the beach.

[Jim walker]

What was he thinking he was doing in the water trying to block the jet ski road with his head the water is not for swimming in its for jet skis to speed up and down as close to the beach as possible and scare people away from having a cool dip and the jet skis are here for good now as the junta has done its job with them all are licensed and insured and training and safety is to the highest possible Thai standards for all operators

[wabothai]

I am all for it, ban jet skis forever, allthough I know this not going to happen.

They are not skis anyway, they are vessels and in most countries one needs a license to operate one in non-designated areas.

Everytime an accident happens the vessel needs to be impounded. Is there alcohol control? of course not.

BAN THE MOSQUITOS.

[SiSePuede419]

The mere prescence of jet skis in the water tells me that this is a beach for morons.

No need to post a warning sign, 555

Edited March 1, 2015 by SiSePuede419

[FredNL]

"the French tourist, identified by police as Mr Chadd Attardi"

Is Chadd Attardi a common French name ???

A good tip for all of those that are "suicidal".

Come to Thailand, spend your money, do some sunbathing and take dipp / swim in the surrounding waters of Phuket or Pattaya.

You will never know what "hit" you...

In case you didn't get "hit". Rent a motorcycle....

Edited March 1, 2015 by FredNL

[cornishcarlos]

"the French tourist, identified by police as Mr Chadd Attardi"

Is Chadd Attardi a common French name ???

Are you still living in the 50s ?

If you hadn't noticed yet, many citizens of many countries have names that were once not common to said country.

Wake up...

[cornishcarlos]

Build a bonfire of jetskis and sunbeds, Simples

Chuck a few French on it too ?

[Sparkles]

They are not "skis" as previously pointed out they are "motor bikes" which travel on water.On the road you need a licence and be a competent driver.

Why should it be different for jet skiers ?

I realise that this might mean the total demise of the industry ,wouldn't that be a sad day

[Johnny S]

"the French tourist, identified by police as Mr Chadd Attardi"

Is Chadd Attardi a common French name ???

Are you still living in the 50s ?

If you hadn't noticed yet, many citizens of many countries have names that were once not common to said country.

Wake up...

Exactly - Just like Muhammed Emwazi and Asim Qureshi in UK

[White Christmas13]

Build a bonfire of jetskis and sunbeds, Simples

Chuck a few French on it too ?

French Fries you mean ?

[Sviss Geez]

an unidentified French tourist?

How do they know he is French?

Did he shout merde? Or excusez mois s'il vous plais?

he had a prominent white flag flying and was going in the opposite direction from where the incident occurred ?

Aren't you confusing the French with Italians?

[PaPiPuPePo]

+1 for banning them, but I doubt that's going to happen. Actually I a bit surprised that no one has monkeywrenched any jet skis yet. Merely casual observation has shown that they're pretty vulnerable at times. The types who always seem to run these operations will likely only understand continuing losses of money so I doubt anything will change until someone, local or otherwise, gets a little dirt (or oil as the case may be) on their hands.

Edited March 1, 2015 by PaPiPuPePo

[Wat dee]

an unidentified French tourist?

How do they know he is French?

Did he shout merde? Or excusez mois s'il vous plais?

.

He was wearing a Speedo.

Or Australian,German,Swedish,Finnish,Italian,British....Everybody who understand what is the right gear for swimming. Also sane upbringing without sexual and religious phobia's helps to choose the right equipment.

[ZeldasCavern]

"the French tourist, identified by police as Mr Chadd Attardi"

Is Chadd Attardi a common French name ???

A good tip for all of those that are "suicidal".

Come to Thailand, spend your money, do some sunbathing and take dipp / swim in the surrounding waters of Phuket or Pattaya.

You will never know what "hit" you...

In case you didn't get "hit". Rent a motorcycle....

Have you seen how these morons handle themselves on motorbikes?

They have no regards for anyone else.... They have caused many accidents; unfortunately they aren't always the ones who get hurt.

[sambum]

an unidentified French tourist?

How do they know he is French?

Did he shout merde? Or excusez mois s'il vous plais?

Unbelievable!

"Phuket:- A 55-year-old German tourist was almost killed Saturday when he was knocked unconscious by a speeding jet ski."

[MW72]

an unidentified French tourist?

How do they know he is French?

Did he shout merde? Or excusez mois s'il vous plais?

Unbelievable!

"Phuket:- A 55-year-old German tourist was almost killed Saturday when he was knocked unconscious by a speeding jet ski."

Unbelievable!

"The wife and witnesses told police that Heim was swimming in the sea not far from the beach while the wife was sunbathing on the beach when an unidentified French tourist sped his jet ski to hit Heim in the head and shoulder."

Did you not read the full text of the story?