Drowned Swiss man at Nai Harn Beach fourth Phuket drowning victim in four days
Eakkapop Thongtub

PHUKET: A Swiss national this morning became the fourth drowning victim to succumb to Phuket's deadly surf in four days.

The man's lifeless body was pulled from the surf off Nai Harn Beach rhis morning. More details to follow.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/drowned-swiss-man-at-nai-harn-beach-fourth-phuket-drowning-victim-in-four-days-53671.php

-- Phuket News 2015-08-16

Phuket currents are strong during high surf. Look at this guys shape, he had no business being in Nai Harn surf. Hawai'i has much more dangerous conditions and many unguarded areas, yet people tend to understand the dangers and their are fewer drownings. There needs to be better orientation of tourists on Phuket so they don't get lulled into a false sense of safety.

That picture breaks my heart.

I can't tell you how moved I am by that picture

Very sad indeed. A quite un-necessary picture IMO, that poor girl's grief on show for all to see.

I remember back in the 90's people were talking about the dangerous currents or rips off Phuket. Some Australian rels were in town the other day and they had just returned from a holiday in Phuket. They never went near the water.

Stayed by the hotel pool. Good idea.LOL Its all a matter of education. Some people just dont know or dont care.

Alot of these Chinese tourists are poor swimmers and when they get caught in a rip they panic because they dont know what to do.

If youre alone and panic in open water there's a good chance you'll drown. Inexperienced scuba divers drown in shallow water.

Very sad indeed. A quite un-necessary picture IMO, that poor girl's grief on show for all to see.

Then, it's a good warning to others.

If it makes one single person think twice about going in after viewing it, it will have been worth a few foreigners feeling awkward.

Few years ago... I was there at the same place and I almost drown in rip currents... few seconds away from letting myself going away.... Lucky.... I was save by a farang just before I had no more power to stay on the surface... I will remember this moment for the rest of my life... As much as I was not scare going swimming at the beach... now I can not think going swimming at sea anymore when they have waves....

For your info.... just be careful

An extremely inappropriate post has been removed from view. More like that will result in immediate posting suspensions.

Very sad indeed. A quite un-necessary picture IMO, that poor girl's grief on show for all to see.

I generally detest the Thai medias insensitivity to peoples pain in order to get a sensational shot and story. I feel a little bit different with this, I think its a very moving picture. The embrace she is giving to her deceased partner says everything.

Have to think something else happened (heart incident?) as the surf is just not that big right now. I've been at Nai Harn the last two days.

RE: for edit, just now talking to a guy who was there this morning (first off RIP, terrible anyways), but no surf, flat, mild rips, had to have been a health issue.

horribly sad...

if you are that out of shape you should only swim in a pool...

Have to think something else happened (heart incident?) as the surf is just not that big right now. I've been at Nai Harn the last two days.

RE: for edit, just now talking to a guy who was there this morning (first off RIP, terrible anyways), but no surf, flat, mild rips, had to have been a health issue.

Did you watch the Rip tide information vid on this thread ? You dont need surf for rip tides in fact there is no surf in a rip tide because of the strong current going away for the shore

Have to think something else happened (heart incident?) as the surf is just not that big right now. I've been at Nai Harn the last two days.

RE: for edit, just now talking to a guy who was there this morning (first off RIP, terrible anyways), but no surf, flat, mild rips, had to have been a health issue.

Did you watch the Rip tide information vid on this thread ? You dont need surf for rip tides in fact there is no surf in a rip tide because of the strong current going away for the shore

Actually you do need surf for rip currents to form unless they are generated by a river.

Swiss tourist drowns at Phuket beach

BANGKOK: -- A 71-year-old Swiss man drowned at the Naiharn Beach in Phuket's Mueang district Sunday morning, police reported.

The tourist was identified as Ernst Krummenacher.

His Thai wife told police that the Swiss man drowned quickly after he swam at the beach shortly before 8 am. Tourists at the beach rushed out to help him and bring him back to the beach but he had stopped breathing. A CPR failed to bring him back.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/Swiss-tourist-drowns-at-Phuket-beach-30266686.html

-- The Nation 2015-08-16

very saddening. One more human loss that could have been avoided. Beware of rip currents.. People should be informed about them more widely and taught how to escape from them by swimming parallel to the current going outward, then back safely to the beach, and not fight against it by swimming against the current toward the beach.

A bit of a pattern here. Siberian Russians, Beijing Chinese, Swiss...all from landlocked places without a clue of how to enjoy and respect surf

A couple of years ago at this time of year, It was a pretty calm day at Nai Harn when I felt I was being pulled away from shore faster than I was comfortable with, a scary situation. I immediately relaxed my self and swam gently parallel to the beach. Sadly people from a country without an aquatic culture are not aware of the danger of rips, more education of tourists is required.

And the photo has an effect on us all, I hope it also has an effect on the Phuket authorities although given their track record on tourist safety I think not.

Have to think something else happened (heart incident?) as the surf is just not that big right now. I've been at Nai Harn the last two days.

RE: for edit, just now talking to a guy who was there this morning (first off RIP, terrible anyways), but no surf, flat, mild rips, had to have been a health issue.

Did you watch the Rip tide information vid on this thread ? You dont need surf for rip tides in fact there is no surf in a rip tide because of the strong current going away for the shore

Actually you do need surf for rip currents to form unless they are generated by a river.

But not where the actual rip is maybe either side of it

Have to think something else happened (heart incident?) as the surf is just not that big right now. I've been at Nai Harn the last two days.

RE: for edit, just now talking to a guy who was there this morning (first off RIP, terrible anyways), but no surf, flat, mild rips, had to have been a health issue.

Did you watch the Rip tide information vid on this thread ? You dont need surf for rip tides in fact there is no surf in a rip tide because of the strong current going away for the shore

Actually you do need surf for rip currents to form unless they are generated by a river.

But not where the actual rip is maybe either side of it

Yes there are normally no waves where the rip is running out but you do need waves to create the troughs, initially, which are deeper hence no waves there as they need shallow water to break.

....too bad they do not have actual people....

...to keep the tourists from going into the water....

...that is part of the duty of 'life guards'......man the beaches.....

....totally irresponsible....

Once again Thai authorities do not want or need to learn from other countries, better loss of life than loss of face

Phuket currents are strong during high surf. Look at this guys shape, he had no business being in Nai Harn surf. Hawai'i has much more dangerous conditions and many unguarded areas, yet people tend to understand the dangers and their are fewer drownings. There needs to be better orientation of tourists on Phuket so they don't get lulled into a false sense of safety.

Having that shape he would have floated like a cork. The real problem was not understanding

what to do when caught in a rip-tide. The main thing is don't fight it, go with it until it dissipates

or/and swim parallel to the shore and when well out of it work your way back to the beach. This

guy being from Switzerland probably had no knowledge of rip-tides. In my youth on the Outer Banks

of North Carolina at my uncles beach house we used to look for rips to help us get out to the

better waves for body surfing. No issues for us, but we did rescue people on 3 occasions.

Lots of drowning's, but not highly publicized. You just cannot swim against a rip, you will

quickly tire, no matter what your physical condition. RIP Swiss fella, from the very sad picture

you are already missed.

For those on here that think there is not love,only finanial comfort,in a relationship with a thai lad then look at the photo. Thai women are very loving if they have a decent man. Just sometimes trash attracts trash so that makes a bitter farang. May that sweet lady find solace in her memories. Very touching photo. Shows a great deal of love and he was a lucky man. May he rest in peace. May she find happiness again once the pain subsides.

Members need to be congratulated on this one for their compassionate comments (picture) and RIP current input.

And I myself now know what to do if ever caught in a RIP.

....too bad they do not have actual people....

...to keep the tourists from going into the water....

...that is part of the duty of 'life guards'......man the beaches.....

....totally irresponsible....

Many times the Thai lifeguards have warned people that the surf is dangerous only to be rebuffed and threatened by the tourist who feels that since they have come so far to be at the beach they are going swimming no matter what. Then they have to be rescued. I once watched a tourist and his small son drape their towels on the red flag before entering the water. Five minutes later they were both in trouble and needed to be rescued. Kata Noi beach has big signs explaining rip currents, flags and life guards. Some people just don't listen.

My prayers go out to you and your family!

....too bad they do not have actual people....

...to keep the tourists from going into the water....

...that is part of the duty of 'life guards'......man the beaches.....

....totally irresponsible....

And where is the money going to come from to pay this army of people to babysit all the farang who blatantly ignore internationally recognized warning signs?

Law enforcement already has their hands full with all the belligerent and drunken farangs that go around starting fights, engaging in theft and creating problems, not to mention offing themselves.

As with the Russian who is still alive, this unfortunate 71yo man obviously didn't drown.

He used to swim at that beach daily and the conditions were benign yesterday (look at the pictures).
He called for help as soon as he entered the water and couldn't be revived with CPR. His family consider him to have had a heart attack.

These two cases should be removed from drowning statistics and the armchair experts who once watched a video about rips.