Diver hit by boat propeller north of Phuket, boat captain sought by police

Eakkapop Thongtub

 

Ms Patcharin Petlohlein, 31, is currently in Vachira Hospital Phuket where she will still need further treatment for her injuries. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

 

PHUKET: -- Police are searching for a boat captain who is alleged to have hit a female diver with an engine propeller while she was taking part in a sea clean operation yesterday (Aug 31) at Koh Kai Nok in Phang Nga, north of Phuket.

 

Officials from the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources were notified at 2pm yesterday that 31-year-old sea cleaning volunteer, Ms Patcharin Petlohlein, had been taken to Vachira Hospital Phuket after being slashed by a boat’s propeller during a sea cleaning dive near Koh Kai Nok.

 

Mr Noppadon, an official from the Phang Nga Provincial Natural Resources and Environment Office, said that Ms Patcharin had already received treatment for injuries sustained to her shoulder, right hand and leg and was recovering in hospital. However, he also said that she would require further treatment.

 

“Ms Patcharin was one of many volunteers from the Phang Nga Provincial Natural Resources and Environment Office that had joined a sea clean activity in the area.

 

Full story: http://www.thephuketnews.com/diver-hit-by-boat-propeller-north-of-phuket-boat-captain-sought-by-police-58934.php

 

-- © Copyright Phuket News 2016-09-01

people in the water - turn engine off

 

If a boat was being used in the cleanup operation it should have been a row boat

 

I think Thailand should start a stupidity award system and run it on national TV every week - and I am not joking

Why aren't some sort of prop cages mandatory on all of these boats catering to tourists/divers/volunteers ? IIRC, the old marine park 5 guy was always flapping his gums about safety, yet this simple solution would have saved countless injuries that we keep reading about in what seems like a fairly common event, which shouldn't be occurring at all.

Safety, and Thailand. Never mention in the same sentence!

My post disappeared.

 

I hope she recovers. She is lucky she was not killed.

49 minutes ago, steelepulse said:

Why aren't some sort of prop cages mandatory on all of these boats catering to tourists/divers/volunteers ? IIRC, the old marine park 5 guy was always flapping his gums about safety, yet this simple solution would have saved countless injuries that we keep reading about in what seems like a fairly common event, which shouldn't be occurring at all.

 

First it would cost money to buy, fit, and maintain.

 

Second it would cause drag with less power and more fuel cost.

43 minutes ago, LivinginKata said:

 

First it would cost money to buy, fit, and maintain.

 

Second it would cause drag with less power and more fuel cost.

Spot on.

 

Safety ranks well below profit.

Much of the resposibilty for this incident would lie with the sponsors of the clean-up.

 

They had an obligation to protect their divers.

 

 

Lucky diver, normally the "captain" should have killed her before fleeing.

the more tourists they kill the more room they make for new tourists.

It's the only reasoning they could possibly be using here.

“A lot of divers and swimmers have been hit by boat propellers in this area between Phang Nga and Phuket. Officials have attempted to solve the issue, but they have not yet found a way of preventing it,” he added.

 

There is an international blue and white crossed flag denoting "diver down". Any dive boats should fly these prominently and any divers should have their own banana buoys, which many do. Any boat coming within 100m should then be reported and fined. Simples

...front page news....

 

...how many foreigners have had their lives ruined...or taken....in  similar circumstances...

 

 

 

 

Thai drivers of vehicles involved in accidents often run off.

 

Boat drivers, involved in accidents....... Do they simply swim away, I wonder?

 

 

2 hours ago, SOTIRIOS said:

...front page news....

 

...how many foreigners have had their lives ruined...or taken....in  similar circumstances...

 

 

Me.

 

25 years ago although not in Thailand. I was swimming in a designated swimming zone and some muppet without a licence in a speedboat pulling those parachute lines, came into the area and run over my leg. It almost severed my leg right off and was just hanging on with muscle tissue. It took months and months to heal the bone and tendons etc but the nerves didn't knitt back properly for several years after. You could have hit my toe with an hammer and i wouldn't have felt it.

 

Everything is sort of back to normal now i.e. I don't have a limp but if I go back to the UK, particularly in winter, my leg throbbs like mad. These idiots are in charge of a lethal weapon. I wasn't going to sue the guy who did it to me, I just wanted to get back to normal but when I added up costs of lost work etc I ended up taking him to the cleaners. He had to sell his bar and remortgage his house to pay me off. So he ruined his own life as well.

6 hours ago, smedly said:

people in the water - turn engine off

 

If a boat was being used in the cleanup operation it should have been a row boat

 

I think Thailand should start a stupidity award system and run it on national TV every week - and I am not joking

I agree but the toad eaters are still up for the gold medal this month.