55 Year-Old German Drowns in Koh Chang after Attempting to Swim after Sons

[rooster59]

55 Year-Old German Drowns in Koh Chang after Attempting to Swim after Sons

TRAT – Pol Lt Col Man Rodthong, a tourist police inspector in Trat told reporters that 55-year-old German National Christoph Ralf Sigloch, drowned off Koh Chang after going out to sea to bring his two sons back to shore amid strong waves on Saturday.

 

Pol Lt Col Man Rodthong said Mr. Sigloch had gone into the water off Khlong Phrao beach to check on his sons because his Thai wife Sunantha was concerned that they were swimming too far from shore.

 

Full story: http://www.chiangraitimes.com/55-year-old-german-drowns-in-koh-chang-after-attempting-to-swim-after-sons.html

 

 

-- © Copyright Chiang Rai Times 2016-08-14

 

[SOTIRIOS]

...dreadful....

[sahibji]

and what happened to the sons. hope they are safe and how did they manage to get to safety. any way this tragic story illustrates the parental love and dedication for their children, even at the risk to their own safety.

[MissAndry]

Entering the water is the last thing a person should do to help a swimmer in trouble.\

In the correct order ........ Reach or throw, wade or row, swim and tow.

[12DrinkMore]

8 minutes ago, Baguette said:

R.I.P Old man

 

B6gger off.

 

55 is the new 35.

[ScotBkk]

29 minutes ago, 12DrinkMore said:

 

B6gger off.

 

55 is the new 35.

Who says?

55yrs of age is 55yrs of age no matter what way you look at it.

You cant say' someone aged 20yrs isn't born yet ?? According to my kids I'm ancient at this age and should take onboard soon I'll need to get measured up for my wooden overcoat.

 

Thats Life' or even death whichever way you want to emulsify the facts !!!

[Alwyn]

1 hour ago, sahibji said:

and what happened to the sons. hope they are safe and how did they manage to get to safety. any way this tragic story illustrates the parental love and dedication for their children, even at the risk to their own safety.

 

According to the article, the boys swam back safely.

[lostinisaan]

1 hour ago, sahibji said:

and what happened to the sons. hope they are safe and how did they manage to get to safety. any way this tragic story illustrates the parental love and dedication for their children, even at the risk to their own safety.

 

 In the article:   His sons swam back to shore safely.

[AlexRich]

I met up with a couple of friends a few weeks ago in Bali, they arrived the day before me. On arrival day they went to the beach and the husband swam out beyond some of the breaking waves. He had to be rescued by one of the young guys who look out for swimmers in distress. He told me that he as he was swimming to shore the waves were pushing him back ... so he was getting pushed back rather than moving forwards. The guy came just in time as his arms were beginning to get tired.

 

It could so easily have been a tragedy ... but shows how dangerous the sea can be, even for strong swimmers. Poor man, RIP.

[dunroaming]

I am sure that age is a sensitive issue especially when so many of us older men have  younger Thai wives and partners.  However one 55 year old is not necessarily as "fit" as another and everything is relative.  RIP the German gentleman who was just concerned for his son's safety

 

[ClutchClark]

1 hour ago, AlexRich said:

I met up with a couple of friends a few weeks ago in Bali, they arrived the day before me. On arrival day they went to the beach and the husband swam out beyond some of the breaking waves. He had to be rescued by one of the young guys who look out for swimmers in distress. He told me that he as he was swimming to shore the waves were pushing him back ... so he was getting pushed back rather than moving forwards. The guy came just in time as his arms were beginning to get tired.

 

It could so easily have been a tragedy ... but shows how dangerous the sea can be, even for strong swimmers. Poor man, RIP.

 

Exactly.

 

Been a strong swimmer all my life but got caught by a riptide here in low to medium waves. 

Dang near killed me but I swam out from shore and then along shore until I was clear.

 

Had always heard of these under-toes but never had experienced one until then. 

 

News article says a red flag was posted at the hotel.

 

Red flags need to be posted on beach and big signs posted to alert tourists to what the red flags mean.

 

On Samui a red flag results in hotel staff whistling and ordering people out of the water.

 

 

[Jingthing]

Young or old ... the ocean doesn't care.

I had a very close call with drowning in the sea at age 12.

Saved by two macho men ... not even lifeguards.

What a sad story especially as the boys apparently weren't in distress. 

[Bangkok Barry]

A tragedy. But there was a red flag flying, and I am certain that a 55-year old German would not need to be told what that means. It was ignored, with fatal consequences. Especially so when the boys apparently weren't in any difficulty, despite being "too far out." Perhaps the German had been here long enough to adopt the Thai way of lowering his standards and ignoring signs that he wouldn't have done in the 'nanny state' back home.

[ClutchClark]

35 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

A tragedy. But there was a red flag flying, and I am certain that a 55-year old German would not need to be told what that means. It was ignored, with fatal consequences. Especially so when the boys apparently weren't in any difficulty, despite being "too far out." Perhaps the German had been here long enough to adopt the Thai way of lowering his standards and ignoring signs that he wouldn't have done in the 'nanny state' back home.

 

Assumption on your part the red flag was visible...I have seen them placed in the corner of the hotel property where it is convenient for staff to grab it where it was leaning against the wall from storage and not placed where hotel guests actually see it.

 

Plus, why should a 55-year old German man be assumed to know what the red flag means ? Id it a German thing? How do you know there were not seversl people in the water? Which would suggest it was safe.

 

Nope...too much unknown to jump to your conclusions.

[pattayahenry]

ko chang and especially klong prao beach is well known for these dangerous rip currents. between hotel tropicana and blue lagoon there is a big warning sign. the tragic is, that most people dont know, what it is and what to do. even an olympic swimmer has no chance against this small powerful currents, but they are only about 20 meters wide, in a few seconds you can swim out of this currents, by swimming parallel to the beach, and only then you can swim back to the beach. it has nothing to do with the tides or with the waves. its like a small strong river from the beach out into the ocean.

[smotherb]

8 hours ago, sahibji said:

and what happened to the sons. hope they are safe and how did they manage to get to safety. any way this tragic story illustrates the parental love and dedication for their children, even at the risk to their own safety.

 

 

" His sons swam back to shore safely. " http://www.chiangraitimes.com/55-year-old-german-drowns-in-koh-chang-after-attempting-to-swim-after-sons.html